Heart Under Siege
by Rosa Angelicus
Summary: A prince of a fallen kingdom and a slave of a cruel captor, Cloud now finds his heart is under siege by the man who captured him, the king of Radiant Garden, Leon. LeonCloud, RikuSora, AxelRoxas. YAOI OOC and some non-con, general dark themes and THIS IS ABOUT AS HISTORICALLY ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE. LEAVE YOUR MODERN VIEWS AT THE DOOR WHEN YOU COME IN. THANK YOU.
1. War

**A/N:** You know, I realise I should really update and finish off Magnetic Attraction. Really. I do. But…well…let's just say I got an idea and I couldn't leave it alone (sweatdrop). Anyways, this is only the first chapter. If things get too much, I'll take it down and repost it once M.A. is finished. Yes, that is what I shall do. So, please enjoy. Reviews much appreciated!!

P.S. I've decided to make this an M because I'm going to go full out with this one. Sex, blood, war, you name it!

_Disclaimer_: I own nothing. All I own is the storyline! If I did own Cloud Strife, I would be doing all sorts of things to him. Same with Leon if he didn't have such a scary attitude!

_Summary_: A prince of a fallen kingdom and a slave of a cruel captor, Cloud of the House of Strife awaited death to salvage his honour. But now his own heart is under siege by the very man who captured him, the King of Radiant Garden, Leon.

_Pairings_: Leon/Cloud, Riku/Sora, Axel/Roxas, more possible minor pairings.

_Theme_: Conquest

**

* * *

War**. A terrible word. A terrible event. But sometimes, it was necessary. That was the thought going through the King of Hollow Bastion's mind. It was necessary, he reminded himself. 

The casualties and deaths were large but the necessity of keeping his little kingdom safe was his top priority. He sighed as he looked through battle plans. His eldest son's army, destroyed. His second eldest, decimated. He refused to let his two youngest take part, no matter how much persisting and pleading his third son made. No. He, the king, would not let his remaining sons take part in the mindless war.

Of course, if only things were that simple.

"If we moved the prince's forces straight forward into the enemy's main force, we should be able to stall for time," the commanding general, a long silver-haired man named Sephiroth, suggested. "With that time, we can build up the city's defences and prepare ourselves for a siege."

The prince in question looked almost proud that he was chosen for such a meaningless task. The king looked at him, his third son, a strikingly beautiful man with the clearest blue eyes that were like polished and clean cut sapphires. But with beauty came pride. The young prince felt like he could achieve anything with just a mere look. His father worried. His father fretted. No. He could not send another son to his death.

"Why not send Lord Kadaj's forces instead?" the old king protested weakly. There was another thing. The king was getting older and more frail. His once golden hair was now grey with age, his skin lacking in firmness. He would die. If not by the sword, then by Death's scythe. He could feel it in his bones.

"Father," the young prince inserted. "I wish to fight for this kingdom I will inherit. Please let me fight."

Before the king could answer, Sephiroth confirmed it. Why did they not listen to him?

"Your contribution will be received warmly my prince."

"And I will go by his side." This was said by his youngest son, a near spitting image of his brother except he had a more cherubic face. And he was so much more innocent. The king forced himself to stand up, getting a few looks of concern on the faces of his advisors and warlords.

"No. You shall stay here. I will not have my youngest tainted by this war."

"But-!" the youngest tried to protest.

"No!" the king yelled loudly, surprising the boy who was no older than fifteen. Too young to fight. His third son was much too young as well at the tender age of seventeen. He wasn't even a man. The old king sat down again, repeating that very same word as if it were the only word he knew. "No."

His advisor came over to his side. "His Highness grows weary. General Sephiroth, please continue your strategies. Prince Cloud, we wish you all the best in your contribution to the warfront. Prince Roxas, please remain within the palace walls."

* * *

The day dawned. Prince Cloud looked upon the battlefield riding his faithful grey mare Fenrir, his newly polished armour glittering in the dawnlight. At his side, his faithful friend and loyal servant Riku, a youth of sixteen years, a brother of General Sephiroth, and the groomed advisor of the next king. Riku surveyed the scene on his palomino stallion Highwind, eyes unblinking. 

"They are coming my prince," Riku stated quietly. "I can hear them banging at their shields."

The prince merely nodded before speaking. "Let them come then."

"You are not afraid?"

"I fear not them. If it is their king's forces, then I shall find their king and defeat him."

"That is a bold thing to say my prince."

"War is bold."

* * *

Behind them, the youngest prince of Hollow Bastion had managed to sneak away, disguised as a soldier though he rode on his bay stallion Oblivion. The royal youth would not be deterred from joining his brother. No; he wanted to stay with him, fight with him, be victorious with him. He rode forward, excited for this battle, getting closer to his brother and his servant…when he saw the first line of the enemy troops. His jaw dropped.

* * *

Prince Cloud did nothing at first, looking on in utter disbelief. This first line of enemy soldiers…they had painted themselves blue and red, wore only breast plates and shin guards, carried pikes and were making a large hullabaloo and the line…seemed endless. Now the next line appeared. These were armed with short swords and shields but were dressed in much the same way, rattling their swords against their shields and yelling battlecries. And then, after them, was the cavalry, horses painted with fearsome designs, riders armed with swords, lances, shields, maces, all kinds of weaponry, contributing to the erupting din, red and blue flags with the emblem of a ferocious lion pouncing on its prey emblazoned in fiery gold. Riku looked over to the prince.

"Your orders my prince?" Riku asked, looking at the sprawling troops in amazement.

"How are our forces?"

The youth looked behind him. "They are forming. Our archers are ready to fight at your command as is our foot soldiers and cavalry."

Their flags, a prussian blue with the moonlight silvery emblem of an eagle surrounded by stars, were raised and the fully armoured and armed troops made little noise, standing boldly in front of their attackers. Riku looked back to his prince.

"Do you have orders?" No reply. Riku made the signal to go but Cloud caught his arm.

"Wait. One of their cavalry men is coming forward."

Indeed, a tall male riding on a black steed with red markings painted on it, was riding forward in front of the army. The army quieted down, bowing to the rider. Whoever this rider was obviously commanded much respect. He raised his hands, were a white knotted cloth wavered about in the calm morning wind.

"Parley!" he called, voice deep and smooth.

Riku turned to his prince. "Shall I go?"

"No. We shall both go together. Tell the men to stay steady."

Riku nodded, signalling for them to not make a move before the two friends rode down, their horses padding carefully down the hill.

"He must realise that we have the advantage," the prince spoke. "We have the hill. His forces will tire trying to come up it while we shower them with arrows."

"He must be a good tactician if he can see where his disadvantages lie my prince," Riku replied as they came nearer and nearer to the strange rider. Now that the prince was close enough, he could see that this man was indeed very tall. His hair was a rich chocolate brown, his skin coloured like sand, his face strong, sharp and angular, defined by a large scar running from above his right eye and down across the bridge of his nose to his left cheek and decorated by streaks and handprints of blue and red war paint but it was his eyes, coloured like a stormy sky, that seemed to entrance Cloud. The prince also took note that he seemed to wear the skin of a lion as a cloak, covering his muscular shoulders.

"State your business," Cloud started crisply after a long study of the rider.

"Prince Cloud of the House of Strife, the new heir to Hollow Bastion…I presume," the rider began, not obeying to the direct order from the young prince.

"That is I."

The rider very shortly bowed. "Leon of the House of Leonhart, King of Radiant Garden."

For a moment, Cloud almost couldn't believe that he was even looking upon the head of the snake that dared threatened his home, let alone speaking to him. He quickly kept a face of stone, eyes boring into him. "State your terms."

Leon smirked. "You can choose to fight where all of you will die or you can choose to surrender where only some of you will die."

"Either way, life will be lost."

"Only those who are of no importance," the king gave the stoic reply. "The most useless being on your side _prince_."

Cloud gave him a hard stare. "And I suppose you believe that we will stand down and act like meek lambs in front of you."

"And if I said I expected it of such a womanly man?"

Riku's eyes widened, not believing what he had heard. "You have insulted the prince!"

"Your servant is very observant," the enemy king droned. "Maybe he is of more use in my kingdom than dead."

"Leave my friend alone! How dare you suggest something like that?! How dare you imply that I am not man enough?!"

"Easily." That smirk; that cold, unmerciful smirk. How Cloud wished to wipe that smirk off his face.

"I choose to fight then. And I _will_ be victorious."

"I shall look forward to see you prove that," the other man said. He turned his horse around, the black stallion's tail flicking in the air. He then called over his shoulder. "Good luck Prince Cloud. You are going to be needing it."

"I need no luck, especially from the likes of you!" Cloud retorted, turning Fenrir around. Riku turned to follow.

"Oh, and we shall be taking spoils from this battle: treasure, armour and slaves," Leon added as an afterthought.

"We won't! You look like a poor army not worth stealing from!"

Leon had merely smirked at that. Poor army eh? Well, this 'poor army' had more fighting experience than that proud prince had experience of hot dinners so he didn't know what was coming. One of his more trusted warriors, a red-headed man named Axel, rode to him.

"I take it that they did not accept your generous offer then," he said with a wry smile.

"They did not," Leon replied, "but no matter." He rode up and down his troops, a battle glint in his stormy grey-blue eyes. "I order this from all of you. Take what you can, give nothing back. But the prince is _mine_. No one is to touch him. If there is a man who captures him, he must bring him to me _alive_. Are you with me?!"

His men let out a long loud battle cry, hungering for battle and thirsting for blood. Leon smirked and looked up the hill. He knew that the prince's forces had the upperhand but he was very sure that they had not accounted for troops to come from behind or for his next move.

"Men! Pincer manoeuvre!"

"You heard his highness! Get a move on!" Axel yelled at the troops while many more of the major warriors started ushering the rabble of men. "Crush the enemy in two swarms!"

* * *

The prince had arrived at the top of the hill with his friend when one of the soldiers riding a bay cantered to him. The prince wondered when the army had started to recruit mere children to their forces. "Prince Cloud, the enemy has started moving!" 

Cloud turned around, seeing that the enemy forces had split into two parts, yelling and shouting and making an almighty clamour like the buzzing of angered hornets. He turned to the soldier. "The archers must split into two! One group to each side! Tell the foot soldiers and the cavalry to stand ready for a charge once the archers have run out of arrows!"

"At once!"

Riku had turned Highwind around, looking upon the split enemy, eyes flashing with concern. "Are you sure that is a sound plan?"

"Right now Riku, we have to keep the enemy from climbing up the hill in any way possible." He then looked over to his close friend. "If you see that king, let me know. I plan on defeating him"

He watched on as Cloud started riding behind his now splitting troops, a worried look gracing the silver haired youth's face. "Bold words. But are they too bold?"

* * *

Prince Roxas, otherwise known as Xaros in the army, cantered about behind the troops, ever watchful and waiting for the signal to fire. He had taken his helmet off, attracting the attention of many of the troops that were in front of him, in utter shock that he was here. Did their commander even know his younger brother was among them? 

"Wait for the command!" he ordered, keeping a lingering eye on the swarm of angered warriors heading up their way, being led by a warrior painted solely in red and possibly dyed his locks bright red too. The soldiers waited, tense and frightened by seeing all these strange painted men charging right at them. Even Roxas had to admit he was spooked by the sight.

It was when the worst possible thing that could've happened, happened.

An archer let loose an arrow too soon, hitting one of the enemies that carried a pike. This triggered a rain of arrows, Roxas screeching at them to stop but they would not listen. Their instincts to survive had taken over and the enemy would not stop coming.

* * *

Riku had turned around to see what the ruckus was, eyes widening in horror when he recognized a familiar head of blond hair. "Prince Roxas!" He galloped over to him, dismay clearly written on his features. "What on the gods' green earth are you _doing_ _here_?!" 

"Fighting," Roxas explained. "Or at least trying to stop them from shooting anymore arrows!"

Riku turned, seeing that the mass of enemy soldiers was getting ever nearer and that the arrows were running out fast judging from the sparse shots in the air. He took his sword out. "Then there is only one thing for it! My prince, please keep to the back. I shall deal with this!" He charged forward, giving the orders for a full attack, leading the men towards the swarm. Roxas could only watch, now seeing why his father had been so against the idea of him going to war alongside Cloud. But he had made his choice. There was no going back now.

With a swift kick, he galloped into the fray, drawing his own short sword out and slashing wildly at his foes, keeping in mind to avoid the red-haired warrior on a dark horse at all costs.

* * *

Cloud had been very careful with his troops, telling the archers to stay steady and take aim. Fenrir under him was getting restless, padding the ground with her metal horseshoes. 

"Easy," he soothed. "Easy."

The rabble came closer, but his troops remained still, unmoving even a muscle or batting an eyelid.

"Fire!" Cloud yelled. A storm of arrows showered the enemy, coming in great waves and crashing Death upon them. But Cloud could not see the enemy king among them and he was sure that King Leon was the type of leader to be at the front of his men.

_Apparently not_, the prince had thought.

He hadn't noticed the silent yet deadly group that were coming up the hill behind his forces' backs being lead by the king himself.

* * *

Many hours of fighting had passed and now many bodies, both friend and foe, lay dead on the hill, blood staining the grass. But Cloud pressed on, no longer knowing if his dear friend was still alive or not. He slashed precisely at those who dared to come near him, managing to keep them away. It wasn't until a pike-man from the enemy side changed ends of his weapon and now used the glaive, a curved blade made for hooking at armour and pulling riders of their horses. And this pike-man did just that, jerking the prince right off Fenrir who went galloping away only to be caught. The prince, his armour having protected him, struggled to stand, waving his sword about wildly, blood dripping down his face from the stained grass. The enemies kept away, sometimes jabbing, sometimes trying to trip their foe up but never making a move to kill him. 

"Stand down."

The men moved away…and Cloud had sight of Leon once more. The king had blood and runny paint all over him, beads of sweat glistening in the sunshine. He jumped off his black horse, handing the reigns over to a nearby soldier who took it graciously, honoured by such a task. He sheathed his weapon, a strange looking sword that had a wide blade but a crooked hilt with a small ring for a finger to wrap around for better grip. He walked over slowly to the prince. Cloud brought his broadsword up, holding it threateningly at the king.

"The battle is lost and yet you still persist in fighting," the king smirked. "Have you no sense of the reality of your situation _highness_?"

"I will not surrender," Cloud growled, tightening his grip on the hilt of his sword.

"I think you should honour one of the noblest of traditions: surrendering so you can fight another day." Leon twirled his weapon in his hand aimlessly. "I might just send you back to your city as an example of what is to come."

"I refuse to bow down to you."

"Then you will suffer."

As if the battle had not drained him at all, King Leon came charging at him, barely giving Cloud the chance to block the attack. Cloud's knees buckled under the strain, trying to overpower the enemy king but all his energy had been spent fighting alongside his men. Leon pushed back before lunging again but Cloud managed to parry the attack. Leon stepped away.

"Very good," he smirked ever so slightly. "Even though you are tired you are still as fierce as a wild cat."

Cloud didn't give him the honour of an answer, glaring at him angrily and charging with all the power he could muster at this man. Leon hardly moved, eyes passively waiting for the attack to be made. Cloud jumped, planning on giving a jumping lunge but Leon was much quicker. The brunet sidestepped out of the way and knocked the blond's head with the hilt of his weapon, sending the blond to the floor with a thud. Leon then placed a knee at the small of the enemy prince's back, hand pinning the smaller boy's wrists to the floor tightly and painfully. Cloud growled.

"Fine. You defeated me," he grunted. "Go and kill me. It will be the last thing you do."

Leon could only give a lopsided smirk. This prince was so resigned to being killed…but he was in no mood to reward the defeated prince with death. No…he had a better idea for this proud enemy.

"I won't rid myself of you," he said into his ear, feeling the prince tense. "You are more use to me _alive_ than you are _dead_."

Cloud shivered at those words. What use could he, a defeated prince, be to this conquering king?


	2. Panic

A/N: First off: Gah! Wonderful! Such lovely reviews! And people are already showing an interest in this story! I'm so relieved! Second of all: This is the update before my upcoming exam so...well, good luck to myself heh heh. But seriously, once the exam is over, I can write to my hearts content (and ponder over M.A.'s next chapter. Writer's block sucks ass)

Thirdly, I have two anon. reviews. As per usual, I always make a habit of trying to reply to everyone who's reviewed (because what the hell, it feels more personal) so, I shall reply here. _faye_, this is for you, an essay to reply to your essay:  
I don't know why but I always liked Cloud before he finds out that he's not really who he thinks he was (that being a First Class SOLDIER) and I always found how he seemed to throw the title around so casually as borderline bragging. Then his self-esteem goes for a downward spiral and he becomes the hero with self-worth issues that we all come to know and love. For the character of Cloud in this story, I based it on how we were introduced to Cloud (in my mind's eye) in FF7, just out of personal preference. But, you'll see that I follow the same path of the Cloud we all know and love later on. Character development and AU is a beautiful thing, innit?  
Leon less of an asshole? Don't be so sure. If you read up on the knights of yore (e.g. King Arthur and his round table), you'll notice that the tales tell of chivalry (e.g. Defeating a knight, taking him to your castle to tea and discussing his ransom (not quite but you get my drift) and rescuing damsels in distress). I've based that side of Leon on that, but I've also used some other historical references (aka Vikings!) So...read this chapter and you shall see.  
Yes, I realise I cut a major chunk out of the battle but it was for simplicity's sake and to speed up the action. I will try to keep most details of battle within from now on, but if it's getting tedious, I won't go to great extents like Homer had with the Illiad, Virgil with the Aeneid and a few other war epics from the classics (I study Classical Civilisations heh heh). Oh, as for the resigning to death thing, well that'll be explained here.  
Your other questions: Give it time, they will be answered. I'm one of those writer's that start vague and elaborate as I go along. Otherwise known as: "A writer who goes off the top of her head and never really truly plans where she's going because she knows all too well that she'll go on a tangent during the middle that won't fit with the ending". (raises hands up in surrender) I confess that I am one of those.  
Other than showing you how my mind works (and what a lengthy reply that was (phew)), I accept your challenge! I solemnly swear to make this better as I go along, even if it means doing lots of research (which any good writer worth his/her/it's salt should do if they are writing something with a historical background) And as for the recommendation, I shall read it (big grin). Thank you for the long critique. I look forward to hearing from you again :-)  
And to _chibi_: Thank you! (big grin) I shall do my best!

OK, that's all from me! Much love and please review so I can better the story!

_Disclaimer_: I own nothing. All I own is the storyline! If I did own Cloud Strife, I would be doing all sorts of things to him. Same with Leon if he didn't have such a scary attitude.

**

* * *

Panic.** That was the one word that could express young Prince Roxas' current mindset. He was panicking because he was riding back to Hollow Bastion as fast as Oblivion's legs could carry him under the cover of night but he had a group of five of those barbaric enemies following him with all haste, foremost among them being that redhead that had terrified Roxas. His laughter brought chills down Roxas' spine, knowing that this was all a game to him. A game that would only end when either Roxas was caught or he had managed to escape to the safety of the castle walls. 

Well, he planned on getting back home whether this barbarian liked it or not. He took a detour, knowing it would be far easier to lose the group through the forest than it would riding through the plains. Of course, Oblivion was not going to have it, not when the easiest path was through the plains.

"Oblivion!" he yelled, "This way!"

Oblivion reared up, clearly having other plans despite being pulled quite painfully by the reigns. Roxas would not let up though, the desperation to escape being the driving force to his decision. The next thing Roxas knew, he was falling down onto his back onto the hard ground, watching Oblivion gallop away. Roxas looked around frantically, seeing the forest standing there watching him like stone-faced spectators, seeing the events but doing nothing to help. Roxas picked himself up hastily, running straight for the trees. If he could hide there and make his way to Hollow Bastion, he would get there by the morning light. However, Roxas had never ventured into the forest. Where he expected it to have clear pathways like those of the royal hunting forests, this one was wild and grew as it pleased, a maze of gnarled roots and oaks and leaves and danger. For now, Roxas could only despair later and think of hiding away now. The barbarian with red hair was getting ever closer.

Axel was quite the unusual fellow. Kind and merciful as a friend, he was also the perfect warrior. He craved for blood, he used all sorts of tactics for intimidation and, if all else failed, he had been relied on to find 'holes' in the enemy ranks. His methods varied from just picking away and spotting a weakness or, in the case of a siege, sneaking over the walls at night and going around the walls to search for weak points. If there was also one thing he loved, it was the chase in a hunt. Didn't matter if it was a would-be-prisoner or something for the cooking pot, Axel loved the chase before the kill.

This was no different. He saw what he liked. He was going to have it regardless.

"You two. Follow the horse. The rest of you, follow me!"

Roxas sat fearfully in the hollow of an old oak, his mind going through the reasons why he had sneaked out to fight.

To start off with, Roxas, as the youngest prince and the one who 'would not amount to anything', had wanted to prove himself to everyone in Hollow Bastion that he was not some pretty thing that would come out for ceremonies or be used as a marriage tool towards peace. No; he wanted to prove that he could amount to something, and what better way to prove himself than to fight in this war over land. He would be a hero. Or at least, that was the plan that had gone pear-shaped when Cloud and the other commanders failed to notice the third party that was coming up from the rear.

Cloud…if he had been killed, that meant Roxas was the new heir to the throne. He gulped. That was indeed a hefty burden to bear but again, it was a way to prove himself to his people.

But at what cost? His brother was now presumably dead. The very brother who had faith in Roxas, who didn't treat him as if he was useless and who vowed that he would protect no matter what, he was gone. Roxas curled up tighter. So much for proving himself. He would've gotten more attention from his father and the courtiers but now he was without a friend to rely on.

"Cloud…I'm sorry…" he whimpered.

Axel looked around the forest. So his little accolade wanted to play hide and seek? Well, he would comply. Just added more entertainment for his amusement. He jumped off his sorrel horse, a colt that he called Flame, and tied his reigns to a branch so that the colt wouldn't run away. Flame whinnied, reaching to eat oak leaves but unable to reach. Axel smirked at him, giving the colt a firm pat on his neck.

"No acorns," he whispered.

He took a few cautious steps into the forest, chakrams resting on his hips. His eyes darted from place to place, taking in his surroundings and watching or listening for signs of his haul's movements.

Roxas tried to keep his breath light when he heard footsteps crunching dead leaves underfoot. His heart thumped and knocked at his ribs, his mind now only thinking of ways of escape. He had to get away from this man. For the sake of Hollow Bastion, he must not be captured. Poking his head out very slightly, his heart sunk to the pit of his stomach when he saw that it was the red haired warrior that was after him. He gulped quietly, now even more frantic to run away.

The warrior's back was turned. If he could just…yes, that would work. Taking a few deep silent breaths, he clambered carefully out of his hiding place, crawling away to where even more trees grew in a tight cluster. He froze when his knee broke a twig loudly, face pale and eyes wide.

Axel turned when he heard the sharp snap of a twig breaking. He turned swiftly, seeing the golden haired, pale skinned and sapphire eyed prize that Axel had chased for hours. A large toothy grin spread across his features. "Found you."

The boy picked himself up and started running as fast as he could to the trees. Axel rolled his eyes but followed suite. The boy was quick, he could give him that but Axel had longer strides and more endurance from hunting and fighting. This blue eyed hare was not going to escape. "Stop running! You're only going to tire yourself!"

Roxas knew that. He put a hand where a small dagger was. His father, once a great warrior in his day, had told him that there was nothing more humiliating and dishonourable than being captured by your enemies. The only way to salvage your honour was by death. Other than that, having a dagger on your person can prove to be an effective weapon against your pursuer if he got to close to you. He unsheathed it, seeing the cold metal glitter in the little light that managed to come through the leafy canopy above. The prince swivelled on his heel, dagger ready to gut his hunter.

Axel saw the movement and recognized it. So he was getting desperate. Well, if he was going to use weapons then he didn't see why he shouldn't use one himself. He grabbed one of his chakrams and kept it behind him, watching the boy lunge. He twisted his body quickly, grabbing the boy by his wrist and pulling him in so that the boy's back collided into his chest, a point of his chakram at his neck and the hand with the dagger tightly held into a crushing grip.

"Unhand me!" the boy yelled. "Let me go!"

"Just so you can run away again?" Axel asked, amused. "Not likely." He squeezed the boy's wrist tighter, forcing him to let the dagger go. "A hunter doesn't let go of his catch."

"I'm not some prize!" the boy struggled, trying to get out of Axel's grip.

"Actually, you are," Axel grinned, taking the chakram away from his throat and throwing him over his shoulder. "I rode all the way and found you here, hence I have earned you."

"Let me go! Let me go! Let me go or you'll suffer the consequences!" the boy screamed, hitting and bashing Axel's back with curled fists. It didn't affect him that much. Axel was used to capturing unwilling prisoners and spoils of war. In this case, the boy was a spoil since he wasn't willing to let him suffer a prisoner's fate.

He was much too pretty to look at, Axel had thought.

* * *

Cloud panted heavily, whole body exhausted, a wound from Leon's sword bleeding heavily. Leon sat on a pile of animal skins and silken pillows from Wutai, observing the fallen prince. 

_He is indeed a striking boy_, the king thought. _A striking boy who needs to be tamed._

Cloud looked at him with one startling sapphire coloured eye, glaring at him.

"I admire your resilience but watching you fight on like this is rather tiresome," Leon stated, leaning back into his seat. "Will you not just lie back and relax?"

"I will not surrender to the likes of you," Cloud growled.

Leon sighed. Alright, he would admit that he did force the young prince to watch the prisoners, his own men, get beheaded but to his credit he did save that silver haired one –what was the name Cloud had cried? Riki? No, Riku, that was it. Anyway, he thought this Riku would make a good gift to his little brother back at home. The boy was always looking for new 'friends' and the silver haired boy looked only about a year older than him. Yes, so in reality, keeping him alive benefited him. Much like keeping Cloud, despite his complaints of not being killed to salvage his honour -something that Leon snorted at; since when did war ever have honour- would benefit him for the mere reason to use as a tool in the upcoming siege. After all, might as well keep something precious to buy a way into something.

"Anything else we should do my liege?" the man next to him asked. He was a short man, not really built for battle, but his deep inquisitive indigo eyes showed a spark of intelligence that Leon appreciated. The steel-haired man turned to him, awaiting his word.

"I think we've done enough. I'm sure our 'guest' has some answers for us."

Cloud tried to stand up and charge at him but he was stopped by a well timed push from one of Leon's guards. The king sighed, shaking his head. "Tiresome indeed." He stood up and walked over to the prince, stormy eyes looking at him as coldly as a hawk would eye its prey. "So, Cloud-"

"Use the proper title," Cloud growled. He was given a swift kick for his insolence.

"Cloud," the king started again, grabbing the blond by his hair and forcing their eyes to meet, "tell me, how many men who can fight in your city?"

"I will never tell."

Leon couldn't help but smirk at that answer. "Weak as you are, you still remain insolent." He pushed Cloud's head to the rugs that covered the tent floor, keeping him there. "I will ask again: How many fighting men are there in your city?" Cloud remained silent, refusing to give answers. The king quirked an eyebrow. "You are making this more difficult on yourself by refusing to talk, you do know that?"

Cloud grunted, a deep hatred in his sapphire eyes. Leon's face was cold and emotionless, eyes like the merciless hawk. "You are trying my patience Cloud."

"What happened to the chivalry?" Cloud grumbled.

"The time called for it. Now, you are my prisoner. I can do whatever the hell I want with you."

Cloud struggled to raise his head. "You're acting against the code of chivalry."

"That code is a whimsical piece of nonsense," Leon muttered. "Do you honestly expect captors to offer a warm meal and ale to their prisoners? Or for kings not to resort to cowardly tactics and unnecessary means for ridiculous reasons?" He pushed Cloud's head harder into the floor, earning himself a wince from the blond. "Those ideals, Cloud, do not and will not exist. I can only guess that your father suggested that war is an honourable thing. Well I will tell you this: it's not. It never has and it never will. So do some growing up boy." He let him go, watching the boy's reaction. Cloud hardly stirred, that glare still in his eyes.

"Now…answer my questions and maybe I'll show some 'chivalry'," Leon said, eyes still hard and cold as stone. "How many fighting men inside your city? How many gates inside? How long do the watchmen stay on duty until they change? What are the defences like?"

Cloud looked away, refusing to answer him. Partly out of sheer pride as a countryman of this kingdom, partly because he just didn't know. Leon waited for a while. "Bring him up."

The guards forced the fallen prince to a kneeling position, making him look straight at Leon, their callous hands scratching the surface of Cloud's smooth skin.

"Are you going to continue to be stubborn or will I have to use methods I only reserve for common soldiers and thieves?" Leon asked lowly, eyes unwavering, face stern. In reality, he was looking at the boy's figure. Slender with slight muscles, pale pearl skin completely unmarked save for the wound Leon had recently given him during the mass execution. He wondered what the boy looked like under that blood stained navy tunic of his. But he kept such thoughts hidden. Right now, getting answers was the first priority.

"Do what you will. I have no answers to give you," Cloud said in a strangled growl, sapphire eyes still shining that hatred towards him.

"Zexion."

"My liege," the man behind him bowed, though Leon was not facing him.

"Fetch the whip."

"Right away." The man called Zexion passed the king, his guards and the prisoner, bowing quickly before leaving the tent and disappearing into the tents of the enemy camp. Leon stood up and walked back to his bearskins and pillows, watching the boy intently.

"How old are you boy?" Leon asked. The way the boy acted was like that of some greenhorn fop but in another way he was sort of childish. Much like how a child would try to be like an adult but find that the world of an adult was not all it seemed to be. Of course, Leon was not exactly going to go easy if this boy was still merely a child by their standards. He was just curious.

The boy frowned, looking away. Leon read those eyes. Stubborn, yet they were contemplating over whether he should answer or not. He then sighed. "Seventeen."

So he was just a boy. Leon let an inkling of a smirk settle on his usually stern face. "So your king sends children to fight his wars."

That got the young prince fired up. He struggled within his restraints. "My father was a great warrior and he still can make battle plans! I gladly agreed to his plans!"

Leon looked a little doubtful. "Your father is entering his sixtieth summer is he not?"

"Little difference! He will still find a way to crush you!"

Leon rolled his eyes and gave him a passive stare. "You have such faith in a coward."

"What?! Take that back!"

"I will not." Leon looked at him once more. "Look at the facts. Your father _was_ a 'great warrior' as you put it. He is near sixty, and that is very old. I'm surprised he has even managed to live this long with all those ghosts haunting him. Getting back to my point, he is near sixty, an old age. I very much doubt he has much power over the running of his own kingdom. No; I think your little land is being run by his so-called advisors and servants." He sat up, looking at the ever-stubborn blond. "I bet he didn't even make the plans to send his precious lamb to the slaughter. More than likely, it would be whoever commands the military of your country for him." The cold smirk returned to his features. "So maybe, just maybe, I am doing some of your countrymen a favour. I bet you are so blinded by wealth and power that you have not even see the conditions your 'loyal' subjects have to live with."

"And you know your own?"

"Yes," Leon nodded. "I saw the turmoil my people were in when I first took on the responsibility of kingship. I found the means to solve it."

"What? By conquering other kingdoms?" Cloud snorted. The guards at either side of him where itching to hit the whelp but a look from their king restrained them.

"I had my reasons for invading those places. A little prince who was never groomed to rule a kingdom wouldn't understand."

Cloud struggled once again to break free from his restraints, but found himself unable to. Zexion came back, a red haired warrior following him.

"Ah Axel. You've come back from your chase." Cloud noticed the change of language. Leon seemed to talk to Axel so…informally, as if they were equals.

"Aye," Axel grinned, patting the now motionless back of his catch. "He was a tough one to catch but definitely worth it."

The two men walked past Cloud…and Cloud's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Thrown over the redhead's shoulder like some sack was his brother. For a moment, the prince didn't know what to do or think. Roxas had...sneaked away to fight. He could've been killed! And now…here he was. A prize of some barbarian. Cloud struggled again, only this time with more fire and force. Leon noticed it.

"Oh? It looks like our honoured guest recognizes your quarry."

"Does he now," the red haired warrior grinned, turning around and taking Roxas off his shoulder and laying him down on the floor. "Tell me who he is, O 'prince'."

Cloud knew that this warrior was mocking him. Well, he was second on his 'to kill' list, Leon topmost on it. He kept mute, not wanting to put his little brother in danger. Leon sighed. "You must forgive him. He has his moments when he forgets he has a tongue." Cloud shot him a death glare. Leon looked at him, unaffected but his eyes almost sent him a challenge to dare talk back to him. Cloud's lips remained firmly shut. He had seen that whip Leon had spoken of briefly. The black cord was something that he did not want to ever to be on the receiving end of. Leon came over, taking out a small knife from the cord belt that went around his tunic. "Well Cloud, if you don't know who he is, then I guess he's of no use to us." Axel didn't seem perturbed by the idea. Leon brought the knife down to slit Roxas' throat. Cloud gasped, closing his eyes tightly. Leon stopped, bringing the knife away.

"You're reactions give away too much Cloud. He must be very important to you for you to give such an action."

Cloud didn't respond or look at Leon, his eyes wavering, a deep panic having set into his mind. If Roxas was killed…it would've been his fault…like the deaths of all his men. Leon grabbed him by his hair again, forcing him to look at him. "Now, I want you to tell me who he is, otherwise I might just let your people identify him when we reach the city walls." Cloud could even dream of what Leon had planned for Hollow Bastion. "Well? What's it to be Cloud?"

Cloud's eyes were downcast. He had been beaten…twice. Physically and mentally, Leon had come out the victor. He took a deep breath, knowing that now, for the sake of his brother's life, he had to give in. "He is my brother, Roxas."

Leon's brow raised up in surprise, looking back to the knocked out boy. "My, your culture does send boys to their graves early."

"He wasn't even supposed to be here! I don't care what you do to me but please, don't hurt him! Do not let him get dragged into this!"

"You are not exactly in a position to demand such a request," the once silent Zexion spoke once more. "Prince Roxas is now our captive as are you. We can treat him however we please."

"Correction," Axel cut in. "He is _my_ captive. I shall decide what he can and can't do." Zexion gave him a hard look. Axel grinned back like a cat that had eaten the prize canary and found a way into the best milk pail too. Leon ignored them, raising a hand to stop their fore coming squabble.

"Both of you leave for the night, and take the boy with you. I will further question Cloud." He stood up and took the whip from Zexion, who bowed respectfully and left. Axel grabbed his new prize and bowed too, giving Cloud a taunting glance before going on his merry way out, whistling a little. That left Cloud, the guards and the one who held the whip, the invader king, Leon.

"Now Cloud…how many men left in your city?"

Cloud looked away, keeping his ignorance. Faster than he could've expected it, he felt a sharp stinging crack against his tunic, tearing it and leaving a red mark on the pale skin underneath. The prince winced loudly, screwing his eyes shut at having never felt this kind of pain before.

"Every time you refuse to answer, I will add another lash to the amount I had given to you previously. For that question, I will take it as ignorance. After all, you were never expected to rule Hollow Bastion." Leon just felt like adding insult to injury. To be truthful, Leon only very rarely got the chance to torture his captives both physically and mentally but Cloud…he was an interesting boy. Whether it was out of sheer spirit or sheer ignorance, the boy seemed to refuse to surrender even if the consequences were dire. No matter. He could send one of Zexion's scouts to sneak into the city and scour for answers if he could get none here. "My next question: how many gates are there?"

Cloud didn't speak. Two whippings, a loud pained cry, more tears on his tunic and marks on his skin. If this kept up, Leon was going to see what the boy looked like underneath faster than he expected.

"I will ask again: how many?"

Cloud's cries echoed throughout the camp amidst the crackling of funeral pyres to commerate the camp's fallen comrades, their well-natured insults to the dead and celebratory merry-making that their fallen were going to Paradise and the shovelling of a pit for their enemy's headless bodies.


	3. Pain

**A/N:** I'm getting excited about this. Really, I am. I mean, it's taken off so well. Anyway, the exam. A comedy of errors. Completely.  
First: Wrong paper. Delay: 5 minutes.  
Second: No clean texts. Apparently we were meant to have them. But we had all written in both our examined texts. So, we found the only two clean copies of the texts and had them photocopied TEN TIMES! Delay: 1 hour and 10 minutes. Status of the mind: PANICKING! People doing the exam: Only 9. The 10th one walked out.

So, my nerves were shot by the end of it. Hopefully...the mark is a lot better than I think but seriously, I'm not resitting it. Thomas Hardy and 'Making History' are the banes of my life. I don't want to sit through them again.

Anyways, here's the anon. review reply. To Clara: Thank you very much. I hope you continue to enjoy the story, because I know I'll enjoy writing it. Please enjoy this update.

OK. This A/N is over. Please enjoy and review. I love reviews. They are my cookies with milk. My chocolate spread on sliced bread. My lollipop dipped in sherbet. You get the gist of it right?

* * *

**Pain.** There are many types of it. There is the physical, the emotional and the mental. Some hurt more than others. Sometimes they are all equal. And sometimes a person can feel all these at once. Take Prince Cloud and his father, the King, for example. 

Prince Cloud was in a lot of physical agony from the severe whipping he had received the previous night, his body stinging, red streaks that had bled eventually crisscrossing his once unmarked skin and the wound from Leon's sword had only recently closed up all due thanks to the camp medics that Leon –deciding to show some grace and mercy in his admiration for Cloud's refusal to talk and determination, even though all hope was lost– had ordered to take care of his 'honoured guest'. More like honoured wretched captive, the prince had thought. The remains of his tunic now lay across the floor of Leon's tent in tatters while he was chained and tied up, guarded tightly by the few Leon had decided to leave behind on his way to the city walls. Emotionally, he feared the worst of his friend and brother. Leon had proved that he was not above killing them just to see Cloud suffer. He refused to let Cloud go be with them, saying that he would rather that Cloud remained separate so that there would be no plotting. Leon wouldn't even say if whether Roxas was alive or not. And not knowing made it all the more terrible for Cloud. Mentally, Cloud was blaming himself for everything. For the deaths of his men, for the capture of his younger brother whom he had sworn by his mother's deathbed that he would protect to the very end, for being unable to do nothing to save Riku or Roxas, and, most of all, he blamed himself for Hollow Bastion's looming doom. He might've been sent out as a last resort to give the city time to strengthen their defences as Sephiroth commanded but…Leon had crushed his forces like bugs. He hadn't given the city enough time to fully strengthen their walls and gates and organize themselves for a siege. He didn't struggle as he was being tended to, although he did try to escape once or twice but all plans of escape had been foiled. Even the medics could be brutal Cloud had found out. The woman had made it very clear that she was not above castration and the man had once or twice threatened to use medicines that would not be kind to the young prince. And so, he resigned himself, plotting ways of assassinating Leon and of escape while he played the part of the defeated and broken prisoner.

The King too was in physical agony but not by a whip or by some other torture device. His torture was his health. He was old and frail, no longer the proud warrior he once was. He had shrunk with old age, it had become harder for him to move around his castle without causing himself pain, he was unable to lift his great sword anymore and now his voice could hardly be heard. He had given most of his powers to his advisors and to Sephiroth, maybe too much power, so now the king was nothing more than a figurehead who had little control over what should be done and what should not. Even his own sons would no longer listen to him. This had led onto his emotional pain: he was unable to stop his two eldest sons, his children from his first love and wife, from going to war. They had laughed and said that they would make the 'young whelp of the barren wasteland' scarper back to his misty moors. And yet they were gone. Dead and without a funeral. He had sent messengers to the young king who led the enemy troops to send his royal sons' bodies back but he had sent back the messengers' without an arm, an ear and a nose. The message was clear: 'not unless you want the bodies to come back in bits.' He pleaded for a name. The messengers said that he had called himself Leon of the House of Leonhart, while his men simply called him 'the Lion Heart' or 'King'. It was when he had heard that name 'Leonhart' that the king almost collapsed from shock. Worse still, his third son, his first child from his second marriage, had been sent to be slaughtered while his youngest, the second child of the second marriage, the one that ultimately led to his second wife's death, had sneaked out of the city and followed his brother with that same adoration and affection that he had for his elder brother. The old king's heart broke when news came back of Cloud's defeat and that the bodies of both sons had yet to be found, if they were indeed dead. And now, the mental pain he had lived with for so long had come back tenfold. He could only blame himself for his kingdom's position. He had caused it when he had the previous king of Radiant Garden and his beloved wife, a woman that was betrothed to be the old king's second wife first until she had run away, murdered. The two royals had two sons; both of them small children at the time. Radiant Garden would have squabbles for how could there be a child monarch, a boy king, to rule a wild and poor kingdom such as Radiant Garden.

Leon…his real name was Squall. He was the boy king that the old king had thought would never last, that would cause civil war among squabbling warriors and lords. The boy king had grown up and had proved the old fool wrong. And now, the king was suffering the consequences, for revenge can go beyond the grave. How much more did this young king want him to suffer for his sins? The ghosts of them and the death of his sons was more than enough.

* * *

Leon was in high spirits that morning, organizing his army to pack up and prepare themselves for a siege. He had to say, the people of the few villages they had come across on their way here were very co-operative once they waved their swords about and did a small jig to terrify them. Actually, the young king had found some of the foremost peasants quite agreeable, and the churchmen. He remembered fondly coming across a large village and they didn't even have to scare the people inside. Oh no, they warmly invited them. The priest was very helpful in giving information about the current situation about Hollow Bastion, even though it pained him to think he was trying to avenge his parents by killing a frail old man. No matter, these peasants were suffering from regular taxing and a famine because the city had demanded supplies from the outside villages. He would do them a favour of getting rid of such corrupt leaders in return for the good crops that grew here. After all, you could never be too sure with crops. Might as well have the breadbasket of the land under your belt as well as a few other places in case there was a famine in the other kingdoms. And to be honest, the few villages that did greet them warmly knew that they were better off getting invaded then being taxed and practically starved to death since food was now in such short supply. 

"My liege," Zexion rode up to the king on his dun mare Illusion. "Preparations are set."

"The prisoners?"

"Ready to be redelivered."

"And our guests?"

"Safely locked away in separate cages and they will be unable to see each other. Your captive will be placed right at the back while Axel's will be at front with you and Axel. The silver-haired one will be in the middle."

"Good," Leon said, patting his black horse's neck as it stood still and dutiful. "Good."

"Oh, and a messenger pigeon came from your castle," Zexion added as an afterthought, fishing out a small piece of scroll from his pouch. He handed it to Leon who unrolled it and read the small scrawl. He let one of his small rare smiles grace his face.

"Good to know he's still well."

"How is the prince?" Zexion asked. "He was very poorly when we left him."

"In good health thankfully," Leon stated, stuffing the scroll into his own pouch. "He went out riding with Axel's sister yesterday though he is watched over daily."

"That is good to hear," Zexion nodded. Leon too nodded but looked on in the direction of Hollow Bastion. Yes, this invasion was not just for Radiant Garden and not just for his lust for revenge. No, this was for his younger brother, a boy who could not stand up for his parents because of ill health and age…and because Leon would never put his current heir's life in danger. Unlike this murderous king who did nothing to stop his younger sons from going. The messenger had reminded him of that.

"Let's go," Leon ordered. He kicked his horse on. "Griever! Yah!"

He went first, followed by his loyal men, onto Hollow Bastion.

* * *

It had been the watchmen at the main gate that had seen the hoard of enemy warriors and soldiers come towards the city walls. The message was relayed to the king and his advisors high in the city keep who were all still sorting themselves out for a long siege. The king had visibly paled and struggled out his seat, although his advisors tried to make him sit down again. 

"He'll know about my sons!" the king had hoarsely yelled. "The whelp must know what happened to my sons!"

Sephiroth had already gone to face the whelp that dared to invade. The king demanded in a harsh tone to be taken to the gates. He wished to look upon the face of his enemy, and the face of his trauma. The advisors, unable to refuse such a request since it was from their king, made preparations for a carriage to take the old king to the walls swiftly.

His journey to the gate couldn't have seemed any longer with persistent peasants begging for food and money. Couldn't they see this was an issue?! But finally, at long last, the carriage reached the main gateway and he was helped up the stone stairs to the walls, eyes wild and frantic with anxiety.

Looking down upon the enemy, he finally saw the face of the grown up boy king. He was taller, muscular, and now carried a scar on his handsome face. He was only in a fine tunic and cotton trousers, a breastplate strapped over it and the skin of a lion wrapped around his shoulders as a cloak. Truly, the young king of Radiant Garden was a fearsome sight, those blue grey stormy eyes glaring with hatred and a rage that the old king had never seen before. Orders were yelled to seal all the gates and put guards and archers on the walls. The young king below didn't even seem to twitch at the heavy guard being called for. Sephiroth spoke.

"State your purposes here!"

"I will only speak to your king!" the young leader called back, voice strong over the winds. The old king stood forward, looking at him. The young king looked at him, face perfectly still, as if he were taking in the sight of the frail old monarch. He finally spoke. "I have a proposition for you! You might like it!" The old king watched as the young leader signalled for something to be brought forward. A warrior with bright red hair on a sorrel horse rode up, and with him, hidden under his woollen green cape was his youngest son, Roxas. His youngest was alive! "For your son's safety, I will trade his life for the lands beyond my border! If you do not agree, then I cannot guarantee his safety!"

The old king was about to speak, willing to do as the leader requested but Sephiroth stood in the way, his face contorted with a snarl. "Keep the whelp! He is of no use!" The king's eyes widened.

"Sephiroth!" he hoarsely shouted. Sephiroth did not listen.

"He is a traitor to our kingdom for defying the words of our king! And he has more than likely told you of all of our weaknesses! Traitors are not welcome here! Those who are defeated and yet not take the necessary actions are also not welcome here!"

The old king could do nothing. Sephiroth had once more taken control of the situation. Indeed, the old fool had given too much power to Sephiroth who had just passed a death sentence on his youngest. The young leader looked at the king, as if asking him if he was truly fine with this development. The king could do nothing but look away. The young leader turned back to Sephiroth. "Fine! Do not take my kind offer! But know this: when I have taken over this kingdom, the people will hate you for your obstinacy!" He then nodded to a foot soldier who bowed and scuttled away quickly into the mass of men. The old king noticed that, as well as carts and packhorses, there were also a few catapults that looked ready to be released at the back of the enemy army. The young king looked up, a cruel cold smirk on his face. "Before I go, here is a parting gift to wish you good luck in our battle!"

The captains and warriors higher up the ranks started shouting, mixed orders of "Release the prisoners!" and "Fire!" thronging in the air. The catapults were released, flinging what looked like boulders straight over the walls.

"Raise your shields and protect the king!" Sephiroth ordered, forcing the frail king under a watchman's shield before ducking. The shower of boulders continued but when one landed at their feet, the king looked on in horror. Staring right at him with glassy eyes, blood spurting out of its mouth and blood staining its once blond beard with a shocked look was the head of his eldest son. A peasant woman screamed the name of his second eldest that had landed in one of her pots that she was selling. Sephiroth looked shocked himself, seeing that they had been pelted with the heads of their own men!

"You said you wanted your sons back!" the other king yelled over, smirk still in place. "So now you can't say that Leon, son of Laguna of Radiant Garden, is not unable to respect the wishes of the family of the dead!"

All the old king could do was weep, reaching for the severed head and cradling it in his arms. His eldest sons were dead, and it was his entire fault. Sephiroth looked over, his usually calm and handsome face now contorted with rage. "You will pay for this travesty!"

"Clean your necks and wait for me!" Leon shouted back. "There is a far greater travesty that must be repaid in blood!"

* * *

Cloud had been blindfolded while all this was going on, unable to hear what was going on. He figured that he was somewhere at the back of the army, away from danger. He wondered if Roxas had been used as a bargaining tool. He prayed that Riku was safe. What he did hear was the release of the catapults and the surprised screams coming from inside the city walls. He didn't know what happened after that. The noise of wild cheers and banging shields made it hard to decipher what had been going on. He didn't know how long he had been in whatever held him hostage but he couldn't be any happier when he was finally dragged out unceremoniously. The next thing he knew, he was being released from his ties and then left somewhere, but not knowing where he was at all. It was quiet, with the exception to the backdrop noise of the odd drunk soldier and the cackle of fire. For a moment, he feared that he was finally being gotten rid of. 

"Your father is a frail old man," a familiar voice stated dryly, as if it were disappointed. Cloud looked around blindly, trying to find the source.

"He is still able to make battle plans though."

"Correction: his _general_ is able to make plans of action." Cloud sat there kneeling, hearing Leon go past him and take a seat by the rustling of his cloak. "To be honest, I would not be surprised if your general is the cause of this kingdom's corruption."

"Lies!" Cloud yelled. "Our kingdom is not corrupted!"

"You still hold faith to that, don't you?" Leon sighed. He stood up once more, Cloud had gathered, and was making his way over. Whether the king was still standing or was kneeling in front of him was not very clear to Cloud.

"Why? Why did you invade us?" Cloud asked, his voice taut. "Hollow Bastion has done nothing to you."

"Your father probably never told you," Leon said. The warrior king breathed deeply, sounding a little like he was explaining to a young child. "Hollow Bastion is the breadbasket of the land. It grows plenty of wheat and other grains and it has a wealth of precious stones. Radiant Garden has none of that. We have the pastures to keep livestock, the wool from the sheep, milk, meat and the hides from the cows so we can make leather but other than that, every crop ends in failure. The ground is too wet for anything to grow. The crops drown. So, while the rich can pay for grains as a luxury, the common people can not. We are as many kingdom's call us a barren wasteland."

"Yes…I heard that," Cloud grumbled. "I am not completely ignorant."

"That's only half the reason I am here," Leon uttered. "The other half, I can assure you that you will not know." Cloud didn't want to hear it. If it was about liberating the peasants from a so-called corrupt society, then he didn't want to hear the nonsense. "But I'll save it for another time. I'm angry enough that the man that I can't forgive is a doddering old fool."

"Don't call him that!"

"Still as impudent as ever."

"And you're still as inhuman as ever."

"Inhuman you say?" Leon had changed positions. He was now at his side and kneeling. Cloud knew this because he felt Leon's breaths on his ear. He kept down a shiver as his skin crawled at the intruding gusts of hot air. "I could have killed your brother today if it weren't for the fact that your father is unable to even stand up for his 'traitor' son."

"Wh-what?" Cloud replayed that in his mind. 'Traitor son'? What?

"That's right. Your brother is now a traitor to his own homeland even though he has not woken up from that slumber since last night. What chance do you have, one who has been tortured for answers, of ever returning home? You have marks from my whip all over your body." A hand brushed past the whiplashes on his skin, making his body jolt with pain. He tensed, trying not to show Leon that he was still in pain. "Although, they may think you're dead like your elder brothers. I sent their heads back to your father with the catapult."

Cloud's eyes widened underneath the blindfold. He could only imagine what his father looked like when he saw his eldest sons' heads. Horrified. Just like he was. "What about…the bodies?" His voice was quiet, almost barely above a whisper.

"In pieces," Leon stated nonchalantly. Cloud was stunned into silence, so many emotions boiling inside him. Anger; hatred; fear; despair. The prince wanted to do something, anything, to get rid of this man! His fists shook in their bonds. "You must hate me even more than ever now." Leon's voice was low, smooth and breathy, sending shivers down Cloud's spine. "Should I tell you how your brothers watched their surviving men get beheaded without even batting an eyelid yet begged for their lives when an axe brushed their necks?"

"No!" Cloud cried, jerking his head away but Leon grabbed him by the chin and pulled his ear back to his mouth so he could continue to whisper the bloody deeds as if he was trying to woo a lover.

"They cried and begged and pleaded for their miserable existence while they did nothing but sit quietly while the men that loyally followed them bravely to their deaths were killed before them. Honestly, I never thought I'd see the day when a bearded man would cry so much, much less two. And then, just as the axe swung, I told them my reasons for invading and they looked so shock, I highly doubt they felt the axe when it cleaved through their necks."

"Stop it! Stop it!"

"They were cowards Cloud. They did not even plea for their men's lives yet they plead for their own." Cloud could almost hear the smirk coming through this whole recount of his brothers' deaths. "I do not like cowards. They are useless lumps of flesh that only deserve death."

"They were my brothers!" Cloud shouted, feeling hot angry tears in his covered eyes. "They were my family! And you slaughtered them!" His body was shaking with rage. He did not know what Leon was doing now but there was a long silence after his outburst. Cloud finally found his tongue. "If you think we are all cowards, then why won't you rid of us?! Whatever vendetta you have against my father, why take it on us who are innocent of whatever crime he's committed against you?! Why?!"

"You truly do hate me…" All of a sudden, he felt his bonds being cut, releasing his arms and his eyes uncovered. Leon now stood up near to his bed of animal skins and silken pillows, blue-grey eyes looking down upon him, his dagger in hand. "Come then." He threw the dagger at Cloud's feet. Cloud looked at him, confused. Was he…letting him go? "Come at me with that dagger. See if you can kill me." Cloud took the dagger, sapphire eyes not leaving the hard look in Leon's eyes. "A chance like this will never come again. Take it." Cloud's stare had sharpened, looking at him with a deep set hatred that he vowed he would never shake off. He stood up, his legs feeling like heavy sacks of soil but he ran at Leon, dagger aiming straight for the enemy king's heart. Leon stood still, unmoving but ever watchful of the blond prince's move. Just as it looked like Cloud might have succeeded, Leon grabbed him by his wrist and threw him onto the bed, grabbing the other wrist that made to punch him and raising both arms above the young prince's head, squeezing tightly. Cloud made an audible wince, letting the dagger fall to the floor with a thump. He struggled underneath Leon, hissing angrily.

"Let me go!" Cloud yelled. "Let me go!"

"You let your chance slip away Cloud," Leon smirked, now just holding both of Cloud's wrists in one hand. "It's quite a shame really. Your chance to kill of your father's enemy and yet you were too weak to do it."

"Don't be insolent Leonhart!" Cloud shouted.

"_You_ don't be insolent. I am a king after all…" The smirk on Leon's face widened. "…while you are believed to be dead by your own people. You're less than a peasant."

"No! Let go!" Cloud struggled wildly against his human restraint. Leon was leaning over him, his own legs keeping Cloud's down.

"Tell me Cloud, just how do you plan to survive? Your kingdom is on its last legs, they think you are dead with your other brothers, and all you have is a little knowledge of how the world works, some useless pride and this…" He put a hand on Cloud's body, skimming across the surface of the whiplashes, the still angry red contrasting with his pale pearl muscled flesh, watching Cloud flinch at the touch. "This slightly damaged but beautiful body."

"Get off of me!"

Leon just gave him a cruel smirk. "You said so yourself that you would do anything to keep your dear younger brother safe. It's time you kept to your vows."

"What do you want from me?!" Cloud demanded. "What more do you want to do to me?!"

"I've just told you what you have. Why don't you use it?" Leon's hand travelled down, resting where Cloud's manhood was. The prince's eyes widened at the foreign object touching his most intimate place, struggling even more wildly underneath him.

"Have you no shame?!" Cloud screeched.

"Why should I be ashamed?" Leon asked, his hand fingering the edge of the prince's trousers. Cloud tensed, screwing his eyes shut, his face flushing in red.

"My liege. I have some-" Cloud turned his head, seeing that Zexion had come. He had a passive look on his face, not at all shocked at seeing his king fondling a captive. It made Cloud wonder just how often Leon did this to his captives.

"Do you mind?" Leon narrowed his gaze, moving his hand away from Cloud's body and giving the advisor a haughty glare.

"My apologies," Zexion bowed politely. "It's just that the captive Riku has finally become willing to talk."

"He has, has he?" Leon released the captive prince, walking over to the flap of the tent. "How badly damaged is he?"

"Nothing that won't heal eventually. Well…except if you want him branded."

Cloud sat up with a jolt. "You dare make a mockery of him and I'll-"

"You are in no position to make idle threats Cloud," Leon said, looking over his shoulder, one blue grey eye challenging him to talk back to him. Cloud pursed his lips, his sapphire eyes glaring at him angrily but keeping his tongue. No. He would wait for his chance. He'd wait for a weakness to reveal itself…and then kill him. Yes, that's what he would do.

"Guards, make sure our guest does not do anything reckless. Foolishness runs in his family line."

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?!"

Both king and advisor left, leaving Cloud to face the muscular guards who watched him with eagle-like eyes. Cloud gave them hard looks before flouncing onto the animal-skins, back turned to them, sulking.

At least he now knew that Riku was alive. But would he really talk? Would he betray Hollow Bastion?


	4. Suffering

**A/N:** I realised that in my stupidity, I didn't make clear what was going on with Leon's background. I'll make it a bit more clear this chapter. If something confuses you guys, do talk to me. I'll explain it a bit more in detail. Heh heh, I can be a word idiot sometimes.

I love the reactions I'm getting from all of you!!! It makes me sooooo happy:) I'm especially happy because I got a reply from the university I want to go to. The thing is, I have to send some of my creative writing work so that I can be considered for the course I want to go on so ah! I'm all nervous again! And not a week free from the exams! (brick'd) Seriously, I give myself more work than I care to count haha!

OK! Please enjoy and review! I loooooooooooooooove reviews! I Love them soooooooooooooooooooooo much!

**

* * *

Suffering.** Riku was no stranger to it. After all, his mother and father had trained all their sons to deal with hardships, pain, and suffering if they should ever be caught in battle. However, it had made Riku's elder brothers cruel, unjust and arrogant beneath calm and collected faces. Sephiroth was the worst of them all. The man had a separate agenda to the rest of Hollow Bastion. What it was though, or what it entailed, Riku had been in the middle of trying to figure out until he and Prince Cloud got sent off to battle. 

And he was so sure that he had gotten close to what Sephiroth was really up to.

But here he was, chained up, body throbbing from the constant whippings, ligaments feeling floppy and jelly-like from being stretched, his buttocks sore from having a portable Judas Chair getting shoved up his ass and now being taunted and being told he would soon be marked as the royalty of Radiant Garden's property. Ah, but he did have a good think, and although it pained him to even think of the notion, something was rotten in the state of Hollow Bastion. Something had to be done.

"So we meet again, 'Riku'."

The silver-haired, aqua-green eyed youth looked up at his main captor, the King of Radiant Garden, with a silent and passive look, his eyes betraying nothing, his face a perfect example of blankness. The young king stood in front of him, circling the seated captive after a moment of thoughtful consideration. "They say you are willing to talk. Have you changed your mind all of a sudden? Will you still keep faith in your homeland?"

Riku looked down, questioning that himself. What good was there left in Hollow Bastion? His master and friend had never noticed the conditions of the poor because he was always kept in the rose tinted world of the rich. But Riku had. He had seen the filth, the disease, the poverty of which the peasantry had to live in. To them, it was there world, one separate from royalty and riches. He knew that Leon had seen his own people suffering in such a way. He strived to better their lives, even if it meant risking his own. Riku could not name a time when their king and his advisors did such a thing for the people they ruled over.

"Have you changed your mind Riku? Are you like a snake, saying one thing when you mean another?"

"…How will I profit from telling you anything?" Riku asked quietly, his voice calm despite the torture he had been put through.

"I can guarantee your safety, as well as the two young princes. I can give you work and a home, as will the other two." A stool was put in front of Riku, which Leon sat upon, looking down with those cold blue grey eyes. "You know what your people are being put through, correct?"

"…I know…"

"Your homeland is supposed to be one of the richest kingdoms in all the land. It is the breadbasket. And yet, your people are starving while the rich gorge themselves. Your people are sick and dying while the rich are near immune to disease and think nothing of how they will survive to the next day. Is that entirely fair on the peasantry? For them to lack what you have been born into?"

"…I know that. It is just…" Riku sighed. "I am merely a boy. I cannot say what I think is wrong or right. I am also merely a servant to the royal family. They would not take my words seriously."

Leon was quite astounded by such an answer. Riku truly was wise beyond his own years for him to see what the upper classes of Hollow Bastion turned a blind eye to yet unable to exercise such wisdom because of his age and status. The king could tell that Riku would grow up to be a remarkable man.

"So," Leon started. "What will you tell me?"

Riku looked around at first, not meeting eye contact with the enemy king. "There are four gates. The Gates of Triumph, Justice, Benevolence and Courage. Out of them all, the Gate of Benevolence is the weakest. It had collapsed a year prior and it is still quite weak even after it was repaired. It is checked on daily. However, there is a fifth way to get in. The night gate. A person can get in through that way and it is hardly ever checked upon."

"I see." Leon was already making plans in his mind with this information. "Anything else? Who should I be wary of?"

"Sephiroth," Riku whispered. "He is the general of the army and the one pulling the strings in this war. He may seem calm and easy to push around but don't be fooled. 'Still waters run deep' as they say. He is like that."

Leon nodded his head. "Sephiroth. I remember that name." He then gave Riku a very critical look. "You've betrayed your homeland. Why?"

"Because I fear what will happen to it if you were to fail," Riku admitted.

"Oh?"

"Sephiroth…my brother…he is up to something…but to what, I don't know." Riku looked up at the king. "I can never forgive myself for letting invaders take over my home but neither can I forgive myself for keeping my silence when my home is being run by a corrupted king and his advisors."

Leon nodded his head. "If I fail, they will have your head for your treachery if you are ever caught."

"I know. I'll take that chance."

"And what if your princes ever found out?"

"I can bear the shame and their hatred…even if it will hurt me more than any of your torture devices."

Leon stood up. "He's suffered enough. Just make sure he doesn't escape."

"My liege," the guards bowed, letting him out of the tent. Zexion was at his side, a troubled look on his face.

"My liege, are you sure we should trust the words of someone who would betray their kingdom?" he asked. Leon looked back to him, confident but also considering this point.

"We won't act upon it straight away. We'll send one of your spies to check up on this information."

"Right away my liege. Anything else we should do?"

"For now, we'll wait it out. Keep them on their toes and stay on our guard. Any slight movements must always be in our knowledge. I don't want a single enemy somehow managing to find their way into our camp."

"And if they did?"

"Find the bastard, torture them for information and then destroy the evidence of them ever being here."

"Understood."

* * *

It was the constant drumming and clanking of passing armour that had awoken the still passed out Prince Roxas, his blue eyes straining to get a better idea of where he was. He opened his eyes fully, staring at the roof of a tent and lying down on bear skins, one under him and one covering him. He looked up slightly, seeing a well-toned and muscled back and the back of a shock of red spiky hair. Roxas vaguely connected the red hair to an important event…he was captured and knocked out by the warrior! For a moment, internal panic kicked in but when the man was about to turn, he quickly feigned sleep, not wanting to attract anymore attention to himself. He could see and hear that the warrior was caring for his weapons. He didn't want to be on the receiving end of one of those eight-pointed chakrams. Not again. 

"So you're still not awake huh?" the man sighed, sounding near frustrated. "I knew I hit hard but this is just ridiculous." He sat himself on the edge of the bed, looking down at Roxas. "Or…you are awake but just pretending to be asleep to further annoy me?"

Roxas grimaced. Unfortunately, he hadn't hid that. The man smirked. "Oh so you are awake." He poked a particularly ticklish spot on Roxas' side. Roxas flinched, grabbing the skin and pulling it around him to protect himself as he sat further away from the redhead.

"Stay back!" he yelled. "Don't come any closer!"

"Hey relax. I'm not going to hurt you," the red haired warrior soothed in a calm voice. His voice was gritty and deep, almost having a sort of rough calming much like a waterfall would roughly calm ragged rocks to smooth pebbles. "You won't come to harm. I can promise you that."

That did little to calm Roxas, who was shaking visibly, clearly spooked of finding himself in a strange and foreign place instead of waking up to some nightmare in the comfort of his bedroom. He kept his nerve though, not even stammering. "Then what will you do to me? Question me?"

"You're brother and his friend provided enough answers for us. And besides, you're still a child. I'm not going to let them hurt you without my permission."

"So I can still be harmed."

"Yes. But I'm not going to let you be harmed."

"Then why did you state that you could allow it to happen."

"Just to scare you," the warrior grinned. Roxas frowned. This warrior was most unlike others. He spoke very casually, as if he had never bothered to learn the formal tongue and yet he stood with a posture and strength of someone who commanded a lot of respect and power among his own men. He was a confusing man, Roxas had thought. An enemy who refused to have his captive harmed? Absurd. "So, Roxas-"

"How do you know my name?"

"Your dear brother kindly gave us your name after we threatened him a bit," the man replied, showing that he had taken an obvious delight in doing such a thing, regardless of the other's feelings. "And besides, I don't think you'd want to be called 'boy' for the rest of your life, now do you."

"Rest of my life?" Roxas could only fear what he had meant by that. The man turned to face him, once again that obvious delight shining in his emerald green eyes. The tall man was indeed very well built despite his lankiness, Roxas had come to realise, though his hips jutted out sharply and his torso was near skeletal. He was indeed…strange. Stranger still were those black marking underneath his eyes and how he had his eyes lined with ink black paint to make his eyes seem more cat-like.

"Well, unless his highness fails to take over Hollow Bastion, you won't be a prince for much longer now will you?"

Roxas had no reply to that. He kept his mouth shut.

Axel could only inwardly laugh at this boy and that tight lip that had thinned considerably during the course of the conversation. Other than those plump lips, Axel had time to look over the boy while he was knocked out. Roxas, though still a child, was still quite the beauty. His skin was vanilla white, his body undefined and soft, hardly any muscle showing. His hair was definitely a more golden shade to his elder brother's but it was his eyes that had stunned Axel when he saw them more clearly for the first time. They were a pure sapphire colour, rich, inviting and openly innocent to the world. At that, Axel knew he was just perfect and he'd be damned if he ever let this one go. "The name's Axel. I'll be your new master." Might as well break the news to him that he was stuck with him for life.

"Excuse me…? But do I get a say in this?" Roxas asked, his voice cold, the vowels in his words clipped harshly.

"No," Axel replied, that cat-like grin on his face. "None at all." Roxas dived out of bed, going to run to the flap of the tent but Axel grabbed him by the arm, looking at him with a wry amusement. "I see that you're not going to go down quietly, am I right?"

"Let me go," Roxas demanded through gritted teeth. His eyes were blazing. Yes…Axel definitely liked his eyes. They were so open and he couldn't hide behind them. Axel could see everything clearly.

"So you can run away? Not likely." He pulled him into him, tightly wrapping his arms around the boy's small figure. Roxas gasped, his eyes wide with shock. Axel sighed. Leon could have his near torturous ways to break his prize's spirits but with this young boy, Axel was going to try a different tactic. All his other prizes he left it to his manservant to take care of. This one he wanted to take on himself. Roxas was going to be a challenge, but he thought that showing a little kindness and some gentleness would probably do them both a world of good. "Besides, you're not a fighting man are you? No…you're not even a man just yet. And yet…" he paused. "And yet you have more enemies just in this camp than any other fifteen year-old. They would kill you faster than you could scream if you gave them the chance." He shook his head. "To be honest Roxas, you're safer here than anywhere else, under my protection."

Roxas was silent, unbelieving of what this man was telling him. But it a sense…this Axel was right. Unless Oblivion or some other horse was nearby and if he could silently move them about to Hollow Bastion and manage to get inside as quietly as possible, there was no way. But Roxas was just as stubborn as ever. He tried to wrench himself free from his captor's hold. "I do not _need_ your help. I am perfectly capable of getting home. And if not, my father will send men to come and get me. I know he will."

"They've named you a traitor," Axel stated softly, watching the young boy's face fall into despair. "They won't come for you." Indeed, Axel had found out, telling the truth as gently as possible and making the situation seem hopeless to the young royal seemed like the best way. He was very sure the boy was smarter than he looked. "And if it weren't for me, you would've been killed by his highness. You were of no use to him other than as a ransom." The boy had stilled, all hopes dashed by a few words spoken to him so gently. Everything in Axel's mind was going accordingly. He knew that Roxas would not come quietly and it would be very likely he would vocal in his variances but that was of no matter. Right now, it was a matter of making Roxas see the truth… at least the truth Axel wanted him to see.

Now that he was sure Roxas would not fight, he picked the boy up and placed him back into bed, watching him sit up as if showing some stubborn pride and wilfulness. "What about my brother? And my friend Riku? What of them?"

Again, Axel knew that speaking with a grain of truth would be best for now. "They are both being kept by his highness for now. I haven't a clue about what he will do to your brother but from what I have heard, your 'Riku' will be given to his brother as a servant." And now that he mentioned it, he could see why Leon had asked him to care for Roxas. If it weren't for different hair colours and styles, different skin tones and different personalities and health, the two would've been remarkably similar. Maybe Leon had seen a bit of the Prince Sora in this Prince Roxas. "But you shouldn't worry for Riku. The young prince is very kind. And his highness, although it seems unlikely, he is a kind man too."

The less said about how he dispatched the young blond's brothers, the better, Axel had thought. Didn't want to make the king seem _too_ cruel during wartime.

* * *

Leon had decided to retire back to his tent after going through battle plans in a separate tent with Zexion. In the morning, they would talk to the warriors and lords who had accompanied them on this quest for vengeance. Yes. His main reason for invading Hollow Bastion, as well as for economical and trading purposes, was revenge on the king of Hollow Bastion for his crime against Radiant Garden. 

Granted that the two kingdoms had never gotten on since they were established by rival tribes, this was one fight between generations that had gone too far. Leon remembered the story well, told by his father when he was alive, and then later by his nurse when his parents were murdered.

The families of Leonhart and Strife never got on. Even back in the old days where the land was not divided into separate little kingdoms, the chiefs of each family were always competing with the other whether it be war, glory, honour, riches, entertainment, women, it didn't matter. One of them had to be better than the other. The day when the different family tribes separated the land into small principalities, which then turned into kingdoms as the strongest families took over the weaker ones later on, made the two families' rivalry even worse. The House of Strife had cheated, grabbing the best land of Hollow Bastion for them while the House of Leonhart was given the barren wasteland of the wild moors. The moors were better than the harsh and snow laden Trabia, but even the kingdom of ice and snow had better means of trade than the kingdom of the moors did. As did Hollow Bastion, the kingdom of green fields and hills. Hence, the two rivalries continued.

And then there was the thirteen years ago. The Slaying of the King, the people had named the gloomy day. Six years prior to that, the two family households had yet another competition. Over a woman.

Raine of Galbadia was indeed a beauteous woman. She had long chestnut brown hair, dark inquiring eyes that had a hidden amount of intelligence and she had a very keen mind that was well educated with literacy, ancient languages, and politics and had a love for dancing and music. An ideal woman. An ideal wife. She had been first betrothed to the current king of Hollow Bastion but it was a forced engagement. She was not happy. They said that her bleak mournful ballads could be heard throughout the whole of Galbadia until the day Laguna of Radiant Garden came riding into town. At first, Raine was courteous and a hospitable hostess in her father's home towards the previous king of Radiant Garden, showing some sort of distrust to just how open and unlike a man of his status on the quiet with some of the more trusted servants but soon, she began to grow a sort of fondness towards him. Then that fondness had grown into something deeper, which troubled her a great deal. After all, the king of Radiant Garden would be coming soon, which would mean that Raine would never be able to see Laguna ever again.

Laguna had the same feelings too, and may have felt some dismay at their position, but that was when he came up with a clever plan. Although he didn't look it, Laguna was a cunning politician and negotiator, always seeing ways of getting around dangerous situations. This time, he used his wiles to produce a simple yet effective trick on both Rayne's family and on the Strife patriarch.

The day the king of Hollow Bastion arrived in Galbadia, tensions were already high when he had heard that his rival was in the same kingdom. Tensions just mounted when the two entered the usual bout of insults until Laguna teasingly suggested that the king's fiancée was immodest for being willing to take off her own dress. That called for a duel for the next morning for Raine's honour.

The only thing was, in the middle of the night, the one who was being fought against and the one who was being fought for their honour had escaped, tricking both family and king and making them the laughing stock of all the land. From that moment on, it became known as the rat tricking the cat in Hollow Bastion but the hare outsmarting the wolf in Radiant Garden. A year later, their first child was born. A son called Squall.

He remembered how he as a child always seemed to see both his parents more than the average royal son would usually do. Plus, he always had his mother's maid and his nurse, Edea, around too. He was never lonely. Not once. And even less so when his brother, Sora, was born four years later. If it weren't for the fact that they were all nobles, it would've looked like the perfect family.

But such happiness was not to be.

At the age of five, when Sora was only a yearling, young Squall had witnessed a travesty. It started out as a child's game to get out of bathing. Edea running around trying to find the boy while the young prince hid in his parents' wardrobe, giggling at his cleverness of finding a good hiding place. His parents had come in during his game with Edea, both of them whispering to each other urgently, as if something important had arisen. Raine's worries and concerns against Laguna's soothing reassurances. They hadn't noticed shadows in the background. Shadows that were not theirs.

Squall had watched in horror as he saw Raine's pretty slender neck cut open, a second pair of ruby red lips to join her pale pink ones upon her face. Laguna was stabbed in the gut by a long sword when a dagger proved to be useless by the raging king who had punched and kicked and used the dagger meant for him against his assassins. Both lay on the floor in a pool of their own crimson blood, the emblem of an eagle lying on the king's cold lifeless body.

They had found the boy curled up next to his mother, whimpering and crying. The most prominent of the king's court began to argue, some saying that Radiant Garden was doomed, others saying that their heir was right there. It had been Edea, a stranger to their land and customs, who had managed to bring about some form of peace among the squabbling lords and warriors, telling them that their new king, although a boy, would only grow stronger not from a bunch of disagreeable 'bucket heads' (as she had so affectionately called them all) but in a united kingdom where everyone was willing to help the young boy grow and become the ideal leader.

With Edea as the Regent, proving to be the closest to the young king and the most cleverest of them all with her quick words and sharp decision making, Squall grew up not as a pampered prince but as a hardened warrior by the best teachers among his men of war alongside other boys his age, an intuitive and cunning politician by his advisors, an advocate of his people and a dutiful brother and king. Throughout his life however, he was forever haunted by that bloodstained eagle that he had learned later on in life was the emblem of the House of Strife. It was at the tender age of fourteen that he had told Edea that he had wanted to avenge his murdered parents, but the nurse had told him that revenge was a dish best served cold. He needed to prepare himself, and wait out for a little longer. She pointed out the needs of his people, reminding him that the people he ruled over came first and foremost before his own reasons.

Thus started Radiant Garden's steady expanse into other kingdoms. They made concrete their shaky relationship with Galbadia, Squall, now calling himself Leon, telling them how his mother was murdered, one of _their_ Galbadian nobility. He made a relatively small invasion of Trabia since it was such an obstinate race of people. He left one of his nobles in charge but made peace agreements. Now Trabia, the cold kingdom of ice, was now even richer than ever, breaking ties with Hollow Bastion. Balamb was next to fall. The fishing kingdom made very little effort to push back the forces, gladly taking up peace agreements and severing their bonds with Hollow Bastion. He made alliances with Wutai, the orient kingdom of silks, and Midgar, the kingdom of metals. Both leaders, he had found, were very likeable and he enjoyed speaking with them whenever they came across each other. What's more, both did not depend on trading with Hollow Bastion. In fact, they were separate, so very little fuss was made. Last year, he had managed to secure trading links with the desert kingdom of Dalmasca and the lakeside kingdom of Alexandria. Both queens of each kingdom were quite willing, though Alexandria took a little bit of sword waving to get through. Either way, from the ages of sixteen to eighteen, Leon had established solid trading links that would benefit Radiant Garden, and gained a good amount of fighting experience with persistent attacks from Dalmasca's enemy, the Arcadians (linked to Hollow Bastion Leon had found out) and some issues with a few Hollow Bastion units that dared to try to attack his new…empire, as such.

At nineteen years old, Leon felt he was ready to finally get the crowning moment of his military career. If he could invade Hollow Bastion and take complete control over it, not only would it mean a more richer society for all his allies and his own little stretch of empire, it would also mean he could finally get that long sought for vengeance at last. In a sense, it was killing two birds with one stone. So, leaving Edea and his fifteen year old brother behind with advisors and a few of lords to guard Radiant Garden while he was gone, he went forward to Hollow Bastion, destroying the armies that stood in his way and killing the murderous king's twenty five to thirty five year old sons in the process. However…his plans slightly changed when he met the old king's seventeen year old son and consequently captured him.

Leon sat down on the bed, seeing Cloud in a fitful sleep after what looked many hours of thinking, plotting, fighting and pure mental and physical exhaustion. He sighed, brushing a few strands of stubborn platinum blond hair gently out of the fallen prince's face. Cloud was everything Leon was not. Pampered from birth, only trained to fight in duels, maybe even a brief teaching of war when they found out that he was the new heir so suddenly. He never truly suffered from hardships. He envied him. He wanted to hate Cloud…but he couldn't bring himself to do that for some reason. Such innocence to the reality of the harsh world they lived in intrigued Leon, and he knew that, slowly but surely, he was becoming captivated by this stubborn obnoxious prince. At first…it angered him. How could he, a proud member of the Leonhart family, be entranced by a member of such a deceitful and onerous household? It was unheard of!

But then he began to think on this. Sooner or later, Cloud and his brother would be in the same position as he and his own brother. The last members of warring families, and neither of them were going to give up their personal vendettas without a fight…unless…unless he made the 'proud' family of Strife submit to the Leonharts. And what better way of doing that then by making them less then commoners? The younger Strife would be in Axel's care. Whatever he would be would be up to Axel. But this Strife that was lying in his bed, he wouldn't give him the dignity of being the lowliest rank of the castle servants. No…there was one rank lower than a mere kitchen boy. Leon smirked a little at the thought. Although when his mother first entered her husband's home and made it very clear that she would not share a roof with concubines, it was still practiced among the other lords. Leon had very little to do with them at first, refusing offers of one while he was busy creating alliances and a small empire but now, Cloud was indeed very tempting, and Leon was pretty sure he would do anything to make sure that his brother and friend would be safe.

He decided he would humour the whim. After all, why not take advantage of the situation between them now?


	5. Stealth

**A/N:** I've been busy. You get one chapter...you'll be getting another very soon! I powered ahead a little so the other chapter will go through some thorough editing before I upload it. Um...I don't really have anything exciting having happened so far (sweatdrop). So I'll just get on with anon. reviews.  
To _Lari_: All in good time my dear. Cloud won't be weak spiritually. Physically, it depends what Leon does to him (sweatdrop) As for being smart, trust me, he will show up Leon at some point. Just watch this space.

Please enjoy and reviews much appreciated! They are my fish in Ben and Jerry's Fish Food Ice cream! (chocolaty biscuity goodness that is!)

* * *

"**Stealth.** That, my lords, is the key to this plan," Zexion declared with a fist landing onto the table. Leon let a faint smile ghost upon his lips. Zexion only really truly showed any emotion when it came to plans and schemes. He really was a far cry from the orphaned scholar that they had found in the moors one foggy day when he became like this. 

Axel, one of Leon's closest friends from childhood, only about two years Leon's senior, leaned easily into one of the makeshift chairs, smirking a little to himself. On either side of him were Lexaeus and Xigbar, both seasoned warriors and lords. Lexaeus was the giant of their group, wielding a decorative broadsword that was as heavy as it was deadly and Xigbar was the one-eyed archer who had never missed his target once. Next to Xigbar was Xaldin, an expert lancer and who was usually in charge of the often windy and sometimes stormy Balamb but he had left it for now in the war effort. The people of Balamb had become loyal to him. They would not dare misbehave in fear of being punished severely when he returned, much like a child fears his father coming back home when he breaks something while his father had gone to work. The last among them was not really a warrior, but nonetheless, he was just as fearsome. His name was Vexen and he was the army doctor and healer. Leon had been on the receiving end of some of Vexen's medicines and potions. All of them had tasted foul and some smelt even worse. If Vexen was ever caught, Leon was in no doubt that the doctor could whip up some poison to help in his escape. Not only that, his students, many of them who had come with them on this invasion, had been taught just to be as merciless and as unforgiving to maladies and infections that struck hapless soldiers. If anything, the army feared the doctors more than the enemies themselves.

"How do you suggest we get in Zexion?" Axel drawled. "There maybe a fifth gate but I highly doubt your spy would be able to fight out or be able to open this Gate of Benevolence on his own. And you said so yourself that you would have to send them in one at a time in order to avoid suspicion."

"I didn't say we were going to open the gate straight away," Zexion stated very flatly. "I said that we were going to _find out_ how this gate opens and if we can find a less secure gate to let the army through. The night gate, as unsecured as it is, is just too small to get a whole army to get through."

"But the Gate of Benevolence supposedly being the weakest," Xigbar intervened, "would be the best one to see to first."

"Precisely. But in order for the plan to work, we will need the castle guards and the army behind the walls to be distracted. That, my lords and my liege, is where you all come in. We will need you all to attack one get. I propose you attack this one-" Zexion drew an inky circle with his quill pen on a small scale map of the city "-The Gate of Triumph. It is the main gateway into the city and the strongest of the five gates. We attack that one, we draw more attention from the inside of the walls. It is also where the main marketplace and where most of the peasantry live."

"Will we risk killing the peasantry?" Leon asked, attracting attention from his lords and advisors.

"The peasantry will more than likely go hide further in the city and stay away from the walls. It would be foolishness to be anywhere near the walls now if you were simply a bystander," Zexion assured him.

Leon nodded his head. "Good." He stood up, looking at the markings Zexion had made onto the map. "Good."

"Then what shall be the course of action for today?" Lexaeus spoke for the first time that morning.

"Give them something to think about," Leon smirked. "Hit and run tactics. Fire a few arrows, maybe a few of them on fire, catapult a few boulders or a dead horse or two. Make sure the horses aren't fresh. We don't want to feed them."

"Of course," Axel smirked. "Wouldn't do to give Hollow Bastion full bellies."

Xaldin stood up. "Then I shall go to the catapults and check if they are still in order."

"I will get the archers ready for your command," Xigbar added.

Vexen stood up and bowed. "If you excuse me, I have patients to attend to. I shall also send for horse corpses. I do believe that there are some rotting ones around." After that, he left, returning to his own tent. Lexaeus then stood, bowing but saying nothing to excuse himself. Leon knew that Lexaeus would probably find boulders with his men. When Xigbar and Xaldin had bowed and left, only Axel and Zexion remained in the tent with Leon…and the other one that was currently on his bed, tied up and blindfolded, his ears covered so that he could not hear their plans in case he had awaken. Zexion looked over to the captive.

"Truly, I don't see why you could not just have left him in the care of your prison guards. It would've been much wiser."

"I don't plan on losing sight of him Zexion," Leon smiled but only a fraction. "Besides, he hasn't stirred which suggests that he hasn't woken up."

"You are much too at ease, my liege," Zexion sighed.

"Ah leave him, Zexion," Axel grinned. "Just let him have his way." He then had a very mischievous look in his eye. "You're just jealous because you don't have anyone to warm your bed up."

"Don't talk such nonsense!" Zexion snapped, though he was going a bright red in his cheeks. Leon sat on the bed, watching to two rally back and forth between each other, from time to time fiddling a little with Cloud's delicate fingers that were lying loosely behind his back.

"Now who was it that was keeping you warm at night at one point…? Oh yes! It was that travelling bard!" Axel cackled.

"Preposterous! Demyx and I would not be able to share beds!"

"Ah ha! You admit that you _want_ to share a bed with him!"

"I did not!"

"Did so! And you're always so secretive when he comes around from his travels! Someone would think you were plotting something!"

"I am not secretive when he is around!"

"Oh really? Explain why we couldn't find either of you one time and when we did you were as red as a beetroot and Demyx looked like he was exhausted, hmm…"

Zexion had no response to that. Axel smirked, his cat-like eyes shining in victory. "Caught you."

Zexion coughed lightly to cover up the flush in his cheeks. "Whether or not I like to have Demyx in the same bed as me is none of your concern nor is it your business to know about my matter of affairs. I do not ask into _your_ state of affairs with the Roxas boy." Zexion peered at Axel, challenging him to answer.

"What? Would you like to know what I plan to do with him?"

"Well why not. I want to know just how you're going to keep him out of our hair later on when he gets older. I know that you usually let your manservant deal with the prizes, whether they are human or not."

"He woke up last night."

Silence greeted him. Zexion had a look of surprise on his face, while Leon watched, his movements with the motionless Cloud's fingers stopping, face suddenly hard from the near…soft look that was once there.

"Roxas woke up last night. He tried to fight out but he stopped when I told him what was going on. He's in despair right now. He knows that his only hope lies in me."

"Are you sure it's wise to leave him with men who would kill him gladly for his family's sins?"

"I trust my men. They will not disobey me."

"Brave words from someone who wouldn't be able to run his own estate if he didn't have the capabilities of dear manservant."

"Last time I checked, you didn't even own a centimetre of land."

"And running a household and the fields around it would benefit me, a scholar and live in advisor _how_?"

"Enough!" Leon snapped, causing the other two to jump from their bickering. "Quarrels are the last thing I need right now. I get plenty of those with our honoured guest here." He tapped the top of Cloud's soft blond locks, taken aback by just how silky they felt underneath his calloused fingers.

"Apologies my liege," Zexion bowed. "I lost my sense momentarily."

"As did I," Axel begged pardon, bowing his head to his superior lord. He then looked up and grinned. "I'm not regretting teasing Zexion though."

Leon shook his head and rolled his eyes. "You are both dismissed. Go back to your stations."

The both bowed and left, hardly leaving a trail in their wake. Leon sighed, looking back to the boy that was in his bed before beginning to untie him. The boy was too weak to fight back now since Leon had had him starved since the start of Cloud's imprisonment. It was part of his plan. Tempt the boy with food, tell him what kind of conditions he was going to have to live by when Hollow Bastion fell and then see where it went from there. Like he had come to the conclusion the night before, he was unable to bring himself to hate Cloud. If anything, he rather liked Cloud's feistiness. It added something to the day to day toil of controlling a whole army. He turned Cloud onto his back, looking at his face. Not a single mark on his, unlike Leon's own scarred one. Any marks on the boy would be on his body and because of him, the cruel captor. He stood up to take a better look at the body, having never truly taken the time to appreciate the beauty of his latest find.

Cloud was tall for his age, maybe a head shorter than him. His hair was platinum blond that seemed to shine like silver in the sunlight instead of gold like Leon had expected. His flew about his face like birds' wings, his face and skin the colour of a pale pink pearl that Leon had once received from traders in Wutai. That same face was softly curved and feminine, parted lips fleshy and a shade darker than his skin. When Leon's eyes travelled down to his body, he almost felt guilty for whipping Cloud so severely. Cloud was very slender and very lithely muscled; so very small that Leon had no doubt in his mind that he would be a perfect fit in a pair of stronger arms. But his body was marred by those once angry red streaks that had now discoloured to a softer, but still harsh, pinkie-red that rose in noticeable dumps. And then there was that scar on his shoulder from Leon's sword that one time. It was now covered by the medics' dressings and medicines but Leon doubted that it would ever go away. If anything, it was the king's mark on the captive prince. A way to say that he was his.

It was at that moment Leon had decided that he would not mar this body any further. He would still be cruel, yes, he would still make sure Cloud learned his place, but he was not going to have him branded like he had planned to. The mark on his shoulder would be ample enough to remind him who he belonged to.

He was not _that_ cruel, despite first impressions.

* * *

It was late at night when two spies sneaked into the city walls. One was Wutainian by the name of Jun, while the other was from Radiant Garden and the close advisor to the king. Zexion had failed to mention to the king that he was going on this little expedition. He wanted to see for himself if the information the captive Riku was true or not. So far, he had not been deceived. There was indeed a fifth way in, and like Riku had said, it was hardly watched over. 

"Zexion-dono, we should hurry to this Gate of Benevolence before we are caught," Jun whispered quietly, his Wutainian accent strong. Of course, Zexion knew that they only had so long until they had to return to camp, but the advisor wanted to know more about this city. After all, it paid to know the enemy. He sniffed the air…and promptly curled his nose in disgust.

"Euhhhh Vexen wasn't jesting when he said he knew where the most rotten horse corpses were."

"Vexen-sensei is a very terrifying man," Jun agreed.

"Terrifying does not quite describe him," Zexion muttered. "He is more…chillingly petrifying than anything. And I am not even sure if that accurately describes him either." He shook his head. "But that's beside the point. Come. Let us see this gate." He started forward, keeping to the shadows of the walls and buildings, noting just how deserted the outskirts of this walled city seemed to be. Lone abandoned stalls that may have once been full of fresh food now only offered a few rotting grains of wheat. The water was now dank and dirty at a nearby well from the lack of care given to it and the streets were filthy. A breeding ground fit for rats, Zexion had thought when he saw something scarper in the mucky straw laden streets. "Truly, his highness' theories were correct once again. The peasantry are suffering." He looked back to where a horse corpse lay lying in the street, flies having gathered around it during the hot day, its skin peeling off like a vegetable skin, the muscle and flesh underneath the skin having browned and been eaten away by maggots to revealing blanched white bones, the eyeless sockets staring at any unlucky passer-by. Zexion felt his stomach lurch. Were they only making things worse for the peasantry for letting such a terrible thing to rot away and curse upon them a disease? They pressed on, Jun following the much shorter man to the Gate of Benevolence, the westward facing gate of Hollow Bastion.

Now they had reached the western gate, Zexion had noticed that there was definitely a lot of guards around like Riku had said. He paused, pondering in thought for a moment. His original plan may have had a slight miscalculation. He hadn't expected so many guards to be around. Somehow…they were going to have to inspect how this gate opened and closed. Did it have portcullis? Or was it just an iron door with several locks? Were there trap holes for boiling oil and other castle defences to go through from above the attackers? All important questions Zexion needed answers to…but how was he going to get them.

"Zexion-dono?" Jun whispered.

"Shh." If he could…would he be able to…if he said this…yes. Perfect. "Stay here. I'll go."

"What if they recognize you?"

"They won't. I've been keeping a low profile when his highness addresses our enemy." He slunk forward, keeping his cloak tightly around him. Underneath his cloak was not his usual finery; instead, he had chosen to wear muted coloured tunic and leggings, a few tools hanging on a rope belt. He managed to steal a lit lamp from under a sleeping guard's nose on his way forward, keeping it in front of him so to light his way.

"Who goes there?" a voice called out from above the gate. Zexion halted, looking up.

"Ienzo, one of the gate-makers from the castle. I've been sent to inspect on the gate." He pulled his hood down. He had pulled his hair back so that his face could be seen and slightly darkened his usually pale face to give it a ruddy peasant's complexion.

"Ienzo, huh? Come along then." The gate keeper stood forward from his post, beckoning to what he thought was a friend. Zexion walked over, quiet and making no fuss. "We don't often get inspections on this gate nowadays. Everyone's too scared to come hear the walls. Even the gate-makers refuse to come. They're more concerned making the keep stronger."

"It's completely irrational," Zexion stated. "They gates are strong enough at the keep. This gate should be getting more attention."

"That's what we told them, but they never listen to us. We're just mere gate keepers. All we do is open and close gates and make sure that the people coming through pay a fee to come in."

"A noble task in itself. What would we do if we were without you?" Zexion charmed the gate keeper, knowing that sometimes it was best to keep your would-be informant happy, and that there was the possibility of disagreement among the ranks if arguments occurred because of one simple comment. The gate keeper smiled warmly, showing Zexion around the gate.

"Remind me how this gate is defended," Zexion requested, looking around.

"Well, we have five locks that can only be opened from the inside of my post." He nodded over to where the gate keeper worked in, a stone room. "There are levers in there. This gate also has a portcullis just in case the gate gives way."

Zexion nodded his head. "I see. How is it different to the other three?"

"Not much. Just that the main gate -that's the Gate of Triumph mind you- has trap holes for boiling oil and arrows to go through and two portcullises to trap the attackers if they manage to get through."

Zexion took that into account as he 'checked' the gate. Indeed, he had definitely had a miscalculation. If the Gate of Triumph had indeed given into sheer force and pressure, they would be trapped and killed if they weren't fast enough. And knowing his highness, he'd ride headlong into it! So yes, distraction was the key but he was going to have to sneak in more people than he had thought in order to operate the gates…wait…that was it! Zexion stood up, smiling quietly to himself. "The gate seems to be strong enough should those barbarians attack again. Maybe we should worry more for the safety of the people instead of the strength of the keep."

"Do you think that Sephiroth would do that? Nay. He's more interested in saving his own skin so that when his majesty dies, he'll become king. He's got no princes to contend with now that three of them are dead and the fourth is a traitor."

Zexion nearly stumbled at that. So this Sephiroth _was_ up to something! And what's more, it was a sneaky way of treason! Now he could see what was going on here. He recuperated, looking at the gate keeper. "You should keep such words to yourself. If anyone were to hear you, especially those of nobility, you could find yourself at the hangman's noose."

"Oh! True. Please excuse me for my insolence."

"That's quite alright. Just don't mention it again." Zexion started to walk away. "Good night to you. I shall report my findings to his majesty." He disappeared into the darkness, meeting up with Jun where he had left him.

"Zexion-dono? You look pale."

"His highness must have some sixth sense. Hollow Bastion _is_ rotten to its core." He stalked back towards the night gate, Jun trailing behind him.

* * *

The next morning, Leon and all his leading men heard the report from Zexion, all of them shocked at the discovery the advisor had made. 

"Charming man this Sephiroth," Axel commented. "Fancy sending your own princes to the enemy just so that they would hopefully be killed. I bet he would've had Roxas murdered since he is too young to go fight in battles."

"The fact stands that this man is dangerous. He is possibly committing a subtle form of treason if he is planning all of this and note how quick he was to accuse of the young prince of betrayal," Zexion reinstated.

"And you say that we should be attacking all four of the gates," Xaldin mused. "But the Gate of Triumph is a death trap."

"I shall have men inside the city by then. Today, I need a distraction to get them in through the night gate."

"But how do we get past those trap holes at the Gate of Triumph?" Xigbar asked. "I for one rather like my skin on my bones, not burnt off."

"We could use a tortoise," Lexeaus suggested, again having been the first time he spoke. Everyone looked at him peculiarly. "Not the animal. A moveable overhead shield. If we constructed one today, we should have it done by tomorrow."

Zexion nodded. "Good plan. If we put animal skins on the top, it should stop the oil from reaching the soldiers, and it'll protect them from arrows. And I'm supposing that shields would be up in front of them to protect them from attack on the ground." Lexeaus nodded his affirmative. Zexion the turned to Vexen. "And you would defend our encampment. Is that alright with you?" Vexen was not known to be a fighting man. He was a man of healing.

"Just leave me catapults, a ballista and a few fighting men and we shall be just fine."

"Then it's settled. Xaldin, you shall take the Gate of Benevolence. Xigbar, you will take the Gate of Justice. That's the easterly gate. Axel, you will take the Gate of Courage. Please be careful. It's the closest gate to the keep so there maybe more men to worry about."

"No need to worry about me," Axel grinned. "I like a challenge."

"And Lexeaus, since you have come up with the tortoise plan, you will take full command of the attack at the Gate of Triumph. Again, be careful. My liege, you may choose where you will want to be…though I have no doubts where you will go during this battle."

Leon had nodded. Zexion knew him too well. His king would attack from the front and charge his way to the keep. His lust for revenge was reaching heights Zexion had never known existed. To prevent him from fulfilling his promises and vows to royal graves would be an act against the king.

"Meeting adjourned. I shall prepare my men to slip into the city." Zexion bowed and left, as did many others. Axel stayed behind, looking at Leon for a long while.

"So…how do you feel?" Axel asked.

"Anxious," Leon admitted, pawing his sword's handle. "I've waited for this moment for fourteen years. And now, just moments away from it, it's at risk of being taken away by a traitor within their own walls."

"Kind of makes me glad we did capture the two fallen princes," Axel shrugged. "I'm so sure Roxas would've been killed if he hadn't escaped the city to fight."

Leon nodded. The thought that Cloud had been sent out to be killed and not to stop the enemy from advancing…it made his blood boil. True, he hated the Strife patriarch, and all that the Strife household stood for, but regicide was something he hated even more.

"What will you tell Cloud?" Axel asked.

"Nothing. I'll just use one of Vexen's draughts while the battle is going on."

"He'll fight."

"He won't. He's too hungry to do that." He sighed. "I'm going to have to be kind to be cruel, in a reverse twist of fate."

Axel blinked. "And here I thought that saying went 'I have to be cruel to be kind'."

"I'm not trying to break Cloud physically Axel. Only spiritually. I know when I'm going too far." He then looked to him. "What about you?"

"I have made it a habit to tell the truth to Roxas," Axel stated. "Or at least the truth I want him to know."

"So?"

"It's up to him if he wants to hear it happening or not. I'm betting that he won't."

"So you'll have him sleep through it too."

"It's what I want, but it is up to him."

"You're so kind to him."

"He's just a child. He's no older than my sister."

"You see a bit of her in him?"

"You must be jesting!" Axel laughed. "Kairi would scream at me if I tried to put her to sleep."

Leon couldn't help but chuckle at that. The lady Kairi, younger than his own brother but a dear friend to him, was not like most women. Axel just allowed her to do as she pleased when he saw that there was no way of taming her. Because of that, she had more freedom to come and go as she pleased but Axel had made it clear that she was forbidden to ever pick up a sword. A dagger, fine, for her protection, but never a sword or anything heavier. Axel then bowed.

"I'll take my leave. I better help out with the 'Distract Hollow Bastion in Order for Zexion and His Company to get in'." He left, leaving Leon alone in his thoughts.

Soon, he thought. Soon the haunting of his dreams would end…and his parents' souls will finally be allowed to rest.


	6. Hunger

**A/N:** AND THIS IS WHERE THE GIGANTO FIGHTO TAKES PLACE! Right right, anon reviews to be answered!  
_Mondo-Bongo_: The bard will be returning! And Zexy getting his war gears on...you should his domestic issues gears (brick'd)

Thank you and enjoy part two of our double updating weekend! Please review! They are my Ben and Jerriy's Ice Cream! (wait...didn't I already say that?)

**

* * *

Hunger.** Cloud was beginning to hate the feeling of his stomach eating itself from the inside out. For the whole day, he had been stuck in this one tent, chained by his ankle to an iron ball and lying on the grass since the tent had no flooring, unable to do anything. Leon had even denied Cloud of drink so now his throat was dusty and dry. He had made do with the few drops of dew in the early morning but it was never enough. One guard had tossed him a stone and said that if he sucked on it, it would stave off the thirst for a while. Cloud had done so…but only to find he would have to continually do it, something he had no energy left to do. The guards were uncaring, saying he should be even glad he was still alive after so long. As he stared up at the ceiling, he wondered how Roxas was doing. Was he still fine? Was he suffering as much as he was? Or was he suffering worse? And Riku, what had happened to him? He remembered one night hearing a piercing screech of pain that sounded like him. Was he dead? Or was he still being tortured? He closed his eyes. 

"This…is my entire fault…"

"Get up."

Cloud opened his eyes weakly, seeing the guards standing over him, one fiddling with the clasp around his ankle while the other was staring at him. "I order you to get up."

"…can't…too weak…"

The guard at his ankle sighed, forcing the fallen royal up to his feet, and then having to support him. Cloud had not been lying. He had become much too weak to stand up by himself.

"The king has summoned you."

"He plans to kill me," Cloud muttered.

"That is not his intention." The other guard helped his comrade in supporting the weight of the weak man's frame. "Come."

* * *

They dragged him to the king's tent, each step a slow piece of agony for Cloud. How long was it since he had eaten or drank? After this, if he was still alive, he was never going to take for granted the blessing of bread and water. Even a crust and a small droplet would suffice now, just to get his strength back. They reached the place, seeing that a small table and two stools, both of them plain and with animal skins to cushion the wood, were set out, meat, bread, a little fruit and a bit of wine gracing Cloud with their presence. He was made to sit as he looked at the food hungrily, but was also slightly mistrustful. Leon came into the tent. "How are you feeling Cloud?" 

Cloud glared at him pitifully. How dare Leon make out that he was being a kind gentleman all of a sudden?!

"Hungry I take it," he waved the guards off, who took over the previous guards post as they walked off to help with preparations for tomorrow. Cloud heard vaguely the sound of fighting going on in the background.

"They are fighting…and you are here taking dinner…"

"It's not the full out attack," Leon smirked. "That'll be for later. Today is just to give your people something to think about."

He grabbed an apple, biting into it as he sat himself down. "Help yourself." Cloud eyed the food. Although he was hungry, he remembered his manners. Weakly, he managed to take a bit of meat and some bread, leaving the fruit for later. He nibbled into the bread. Leon shook his head. "There's no need for the ceremony. You're hungry. Just eat." Cloud glared at him. "Eat," Leon said firmly.

Cloud looked at the food…knowing that he can't take this for granted. He tore at the meat with his teeth ravenously, no longer caring if he was being watched or not. He took more food, eating it all and relishing the taste. Leon just took another bite into his apple, watching him closely, not going anywhere near the wine. "Thirsty?" Cloud nodded his head while he licked his fingers that were covered in meat juices. Leon passed the bottle, pulling the stopper out beforehand. Cloud grabbed it and pressed it to his lips, taking huge swigs of it. Leon had to hide a triumphant smile while Cloud continued to eat and drink. Then Cloud stopped all of a sudden, as if something had clicked during his feasting.

"You poisoned something," Cloud looked at Leon accusingly.

"And what would the benefit be in killing you?" Leon asked, having to hide some amusement at that. Cloud glared at him, spitting out what he had been eating.

"What did you poison?" he demanded.

"Nothing. I poisoned nothing."

"I don't trust you."

"I don't expect you to."

"Then you have poisoned something."

"I have not. There's no sense to be killing you."

Cloud tried to stand but then sat back down, feeling dizzy all of a sudden. "Is this how you plan to get rid of me? Poisoning?"

"Still as stubborn as ever despite being hungry," Leon shook his head. He then stood up and walked to him, grabbing the wine. "We're attacking Hollow Bastion at full power tomorrow. I decided you shouldn't hear it or be aware of it happening."

"Oh how kind of you," Cloud growled sarcastically.

"Of course," Leon smirked. "Though I knew you would never agree to it. So I put the sleeping draught in here." He held the bottle up to Cloud's face.

"Bastard…" Cloud yawned, trying to stay awake though finding it an uphill struggle.

"This is a very potent sleeping draught. It would knock out a child instantly so any attempts to stay awake are pointless."

"I…hate…you…" Cloud's eyes flicked between open and closed, nearly collapsing out of his seat but Leon caught him. He put the wine down, picking Cloud's limp body up. Leon didn't say a word. At least he had succeeded in making Cloud hate him. Though why did it feel like an empty victory? Leon shook it off. No. Now was not the time to ask silly little questions. He had a war to win. He placed the near sleeping form of the fallen prince on his bed, pulling animal skins over him. Cloud gave him one last glare before closing his eyes, this time having given up the fight to be awake. Leon sighed, going back over to the table and picking them bottle up and drinking from it. He had lied to Cloud. The draught had not been in wine; it had been in the meat which Cloud had eaten most of. He chuckled dryly to himself as he took another swig.

"Long live little white lies," Leon muttered. "Long live gullible princes too."

* * *

It had been later on when Roxas heard the sounds of battle cease. He had huddled in the safety of the bed, always distrusting the slightest sounds whether it be footsteps on the ground or the tapping of a sword against one of the guards' armour. He hated living like this, always in fear of his own life. The only thing he found himself able to force himself to depend on was his own captor, someone who was confusing him more than anything. And then Cloud…he still knew nothing of what had happened to him. Or Riku. Though, that scream the night before suggested that…oh god. 

The tent flap flew open and Axel stepped inside, bloodstained all over his clothes, armour and body, his chakrams stained crimson. Roxas looked at him with silent, horrified awe. Axel looked over at him and smiled reassuringly. "Your people are a more feisty lot than I had thought."

He took his armour off and his clothes, putting them aside as he walked over to a bowl of water and a rag on a table and began to cleanse himself of the dried trails of blood. "Kind of amazing. They have so little men to spare and yet a lot of them came charging out of the main gate and started attacking us. The battle cries were something you had to experience for yourself." He talked as if he were conversing about the weather, something nice and normal. "Though, it was a bit of a forlorn hope. They were all were killed in a snap. I guess it shows just how serious they are in trying to get rid of us." Axel laughed, now splashing water onto his face before going back to using the rag again.

"Why do you act like it's a sport?" Roxas questioned quietly. When Axel turned, Roxas looked away, fearing to be hit or damaged in some way.

"I'm not. I'm just telling you what happened in short. I already said that I'm not going to lie to you."

"Then why won't you tell me what that scream was about then?"

Axel paused. That had been a question he had tried to avoid. No point in trying to evade the subject now. Roxas would be relentless in his questioning now that there was no battle to distract him. He sighed heavily. "Your friend Riku was branded last night."

"Branded?"

"His skin was burnt with a branding iron. He'll have the king's crest on his shoulder for the rest of his life."

"And…will I be branded?"

Axel looked at him, perplexed. "By me?"

"Yes."

"There is not a chance in hell that I will allow that." Axel was quite firm with his answer, his emerald eyes staring at Roxas intensely. "I won't allow that." Roxas nodded his head but still would not look at Axel. The warrior knelt in front of him, looking up at Roxas for a long moment. "Look at me." Roxas didn't. "Roxas, look at me." The young boy did that time, sapphire eyes that had once been so proud now look so lost and confused. Axel knew what Roxas was going through: turmoil. Should he trust his enemy who was being kind to him, or keep faith in his kingdom that have branded him a traitor? "We are…going to attack Hollow Bastion at full power tomorrow." Roxas visibly tensed at that, that confusion deepening. "I don't want you to hear it but, it is your decision. If you want to hear…or see…it happening, I won't stop you."

Roxas was silent for a while, looking at Axel. "I…don't want to hear it happening. Does that make me…a coward?"

"No. It's for the best. I'll get the draught." He stood up, brushing comforting hands across Roxas' shoulders before going out of the tent, leaving Roxas alone again.

So…Riku was branded as the enemy king's property. Did that mean Cloud too had been branded? But why did Axel refuse to make Roxas his own? Wasn't he, the fallen prince, the prize of the victorious warrior? It made no sense to him anymore. What was going to happen to him?

Axel came back while Roxas was lost in his thoughts, a small circular vial in his hand. He knelt back in front of him, looking at Roxas. "This is pretty strong. It could knock a small child out instantly with just a small sip." He then smiled weakly. "I've just seen your brother. His highness has him knocked out too."

"What are you going to do with me…if you succeed?" Roxas asked.

"Succeed? In putting you to sleep?"

"No. If you succeed in taking over Hollow Bastion."

"You'll come to my home." Axel thought that now was the best to tell him what to expect once Hollow Bastion fell, which he was very sure it would. "It might not be what you're used to but you'll be fine. You'll adapt to it. Though, you're not going to be allowed to languish, I can tell you that. My manservant won't allow you and nor will my sister."

"Work?"

"Nothing too difficult. It's not peasants' work if that's what you're wondering. It's just…helping out from time to time."

"But either way, I am still a disgrace."

"But you're alive. Isn't that better?"

"I…suppose."

"Good. No more talk about honour and disgrace. It's a stupid thing worth dying over if you ask me." Roxas looked at him for a moment. Yes, truly Axel was very strange. After all, if he was made a leader of people, shouldn't he be worried about disgraces and having his honour in tact. Axel now moved to sit on the bed, opening the vial. "Now, do you want me to hold it for you, or would you rather do the deed?" Roxas needed no second bidding. He grabbed the vial and drank it, nearly gagging at the somewhat bitter taste.

"Oh god! How do children drink this?!"

"We often disguise the taste by putting it in food or drink. Beef often works nicely."

"You sound like you've done it before," Roxas muttered.

"You would never believe me," Axel smiled, taking the vial away and pushing the blond blue-eyed boy down onto the bed. "Now you just sleep. When you wake up, I'm sure we'll be going home."

Roxas nodded. Just as Axel had said, Roxas was out like a candle flame being snuffed. The redheaded warrior sighed, pushing away some stray locks of golden hair out of his pretty face. "My only hope is that I'm still alive when we get back. If they are desperate enough to send their own men out, who knows what will happen when I attack the back gate." He lay down, pulling the young boy to him, just wanting to feel Roxas if this would be the last time. He closed his eyes in sleep. Tomorrow…was going to be a very long day.

* * *

Leon was watching the different war-painted groups stalk quietly around Hollow Bastion, the early morning chill not bothering him. In a few moments, his hunger for revenge would finally be satisfied. Or at least, that was his hope. He didn't fear dying. He feared not having revenge, or being cheated of it. There was nothing worse than that in his mind. Zexion was already inside the city, awaiting the signal to open the gates wide open for an attack. 

"My liege, the tortoise is prepared."

Leon turned to face the usually silent Lexaeus. He had already decided that it would be him who would have control over Hollow Bastion. Lexaeus was tough on criminals and rebels and built as if he were made of stone. He seemed like the perfect candidate to make sure Hollow Bastion peasants who disagreed to being invaded would be justly punished. "Good. We'll attack when we know that everyone is ready." Lexaeus bowed. Leon still looked on as the tortoise rolled forward with a whole unit of men inside. Leon gripped his sword's handle tightly. He could taste victory.

* * *

Zexion was know moving around the walls as Ienzo, checking on the new 'gate keepers' since in the middle of the night they had the original keepers killed and their bodies hidden in piles of dead people that littered the outskirts of the walls. He covered his mouth and nose to block the smell of rotting corpses. Truly these people hadn't realised what sort of diseases could breed in these piles. He stopped to visit the main gate, shutting the door tightly behind him. He removed his hood and looked at his men, now disguised in Hollow Bastion military uniform. "How are we doing here?" 

"Once we hear the signal, we will open the gates and then join in the fight by getting these ridiculous uniforms off."

"Steady men. Don't want to cause suspicion." Zexion knew that the other gates were ready to unleash the judgement Hollow Bastion's nobility had richly deserved. If they heard the sound of Radiant Garden battle cries, that would be the signal to start opening the gates and to keep the portcullises up for access into the city. He took a deep breath. His plan was coming into fruition. "Right. Now, we wait for it."

* * *

Axel was the last to reach his position, watching the walls wearily. He remembered having to put a sleeping Roxas away in a cart prepared for the captives to travel in. Already in there was the unconscious form of Roxas' older brother Cloud, and the widely awake Riku who had nodded his head respectfully to Axel. _"I shall look after them,"_ Axel remembered the words coming from the silver-haired youth's lips. _"Just promise me that you will look after Prince Roxas when you return." _Axel thought it was something akin to a father giving away his daughter to her new husband, only slightly less romantic. But Axel made that promise. He had every intention in caring for Roxas if he ever returned from this battle. Flame underneath him was restlessly pawing the ground, eager for battle. Axel patted the colt's neck with a steady hand, easing his unease. "Almost there," he whispered. "Almost there." 

The signal to ask if they were ready was sent to them: the Radiant Garden flag rising up from the ground part way and then falling back down. They sent the signal back. They were ready. The message was relayed to the units attacking the main gate of Hollow Bastion. And then they were given the signal to fight: the flag fully raised and waving proudly in the morning winds.

At that point, the sound of a thousand voices in a joint battle cry echoed in the morning, drumming into the ears of their foes. Shouts and startled orders were cried out throughout the walls. The gates opened.

"Charge!" Axel yelled, leading his men into the city.

* * *

Leon, now in full battle wear, the lion-skin flapping about in the wind around his shoulders, watched as the wooden and animal skinned roofed tortoise charged forward on wooden wheels into the now open Gates of Triumph, having to laugh at the incompetence of the enemy soldiers to organize themselves. He forced Griever into a gallop into the city, going past the tortoise and attacking a few enemy soldiers that had been unlucky enough to still be on the ground. The men under the protection of the tortoise then ran up the wall's stairs and started hacking and slashing at the foes that had been caught unawares and signalling to the rest of the men that it was safe to pass through. Zexion came out of the gate keeper's room, frowning at Leon. 

"My liege, must you always have to risk your life?!"

Leon gave him a lopsided smirk, as a way of saying 'yes, I have to'. Zexion sighed, thanking a soldier that had ridden Illusion into the city and mounted the mare, riding over to Leon's side.

"So, to the keep I presume?" Zexion nodded.

"Exactly." Leon cantered towards the keep, Zexion at his side. They knew that the Gate of Triumph was as good as theirs, as where the other four gates. The next thing to worry about would be the keep. Leon urged Griever to go faster, heart beating faster than ever at the thought that finally, at long last, he could put some ghosts of his past to rest. Zexion struggled to keep up on Illusion.

"My liege, this is not a race!"

"It is now with that Sephiroth around!"

"Just because I said Sephiroth is possibly committing treason subtly does not mean he will kill the king before you do!" Zexion was long past trying to convince Leon to not kill another king. Leon was just as stubborn as any other Leonhart. To be truthful, the Leonharts and the Strifes were not at all dissimilar at all. Of course, it would be unwise to say that.

"But there's still a chance!" Leon called over his shoulder as he unsheathed his sword and went headlong into the battle Axel's forces were having with the keep guard. Zexion could see Axel. He was atop of Flame, fighting with a sword but it would only be a matter of time until the flame haired warrior would start attacking with his chakrams. Zexion pulled out his dirk. Although the dirk was smaller than the sword, it was light and quick, built for cunning manoeuvres. He charged into battle after Leon, swinging it and stabbing a few foes that dared come near him. The young king was not far from sight. Upon his black stallion, his shoulders covered by a lion skin and sword raised above his head, he cut a fearsome figure. And he was slowly making his way towards the keep, where his archenemy resided in.

"My liege!" Zexion yelled, trying to fight his way over but always being pushed back. "My liege!"

* * *

Leon was now beyond reasoning. His young blood coursed throughout his body fiery hot with a lust for revenge and bloodlust. He wanted to see blood spilt for the sins made against his kingdom, his family and against him by the House of Strife, and he was going to get it even if it cost him his life. He cleaved through keep guards, splattering himself and Griever with blood. He slashed and stabbed through foes until the blood ran in scarlet rivers down the stone steps into the keep, leaving Griever to bite and kick enemies that dared tried to capture him until one of Leon's men jumped onto the stallion and calmed him down. Leon was now alone but not even the overwhelming odds inside the castle were going to stop him. He stood in the main hall, eyeing the score of men that were hesitantly inching towards the blood-soaked 'barbarian' king that stood there with his sword pointed to the ground in a warrior's salute. He gave them all a cold smile, his blue grey eyes stormier than they had ever been. He launched himself upon them, pouncing onto his timid prey like a lion, mercilessly slaughtering them all, and mauling them further to work himself into a feverous need to see even more blood overflow on the cold stone floor. 

He panted, eyes darting around, looking for where the king would be until his gaze rested upon the spiralling steps that would take him up to the master bedroom. Leon sped forward, adrenaline now keeping his body moving though his breaths were heavy and his muscles were tightening with exhaustion. He pressed on, hardly taking into account that he seemed to be the only one going up these stairs until he finally reached the master bedroom.

His steps were now steady, bloodied sword at his side as he tried to keep down his growing excitement. This was the moment he had spent years preparing and waiting for.

The old fool seemed to be asleep in his chair by the fire, his head knocked back and his old wrinkled hands falling off the arms of it. Leon stepped ever nearer to it, eyes transfixed on the figure that didn't move even though Leon made no attempt to hide his presence.

"You're silent now. Praying that you will be allowed into your heaven?"

The old king did not answer him. Leon, angered that he was being ignored, grabbed the chair and turned it round violently. "Answer me!"

Leon's eyes widened in shock when he saw something he did not expect to see. A dagger had been shoved deep into the frail old king's heart, the dead man's eyes glazed over with surprised horror. Leon stepped back, feeling cheated.

"What…? How?!"

He looked around, looking for some clue to tell him just how this had happened. He tore the dagger from the body, looking at it as if it could reveal to him what had happened. An eagle would tell him the king took his own life. But no eagle could be found. Instead, he found a snake curling around the handle, a glittering emerald eye staring at him tauntingly. The snake was no emblem of any other royal family…nor was it of a noble family that were enemies of Hollow Bastion.

And in that moment, Leon knew the truth of what had happened. He let out a long roar of outrage.

The snake Sephiroth had beaten _him_, the lion Leon.

* * *

The men of Radiant Garden had managed to round up the demoralised soldiers of Hollow Bastion when one of their own had spotted their general and his three other brothers escaping from the city in the direction of Arcadia. Zexion marched around them on Illusion while the forces of Xigbar and Xaldin rounded up the peasants and Lexaeus made safe the passage for those left behind at the encampment. Axel's forces were helping Zexion, keeping in line a few persistent foes. 

But as of yet, no sign of their triumphant king.

Zexion fretted, about to go into the keep himself when a lone figure made his way out, bloodstained and furious. Zexion instantly felt relief.

"My liege!" He made Illusion trot over to the keep. "The old fool…?"

"Dead," Leon growled, gripping a snake-headed dagger in one of his hands. "But not by me." He stormed down the steps, feeling angry and wanting to take his frustrations out on something, anything! Zexion kept mute, knowing it was best not to further irritate his superior. The lords and their forces had noticed a troubling change in their king's temperament, so followed the advisor's example. Leon mounted Griever, kicking the stallion hard and forcing it into a gallop towards the walls. Zexion knew that would only mean the young king would work off some steam that way. He would be calm when he came back. He looked over to Lexaeus.

"Lord Lexaeus, your new people await for you."

Lexaeus looked at the defeated party, then looked back to Zexion, pleading. The advisor sighed. True to form, Lexaeus was not a speaker. Zexion rode forward, signalling that he wanted to speak. The audience of defeated men, women and children hushed.

"Inhabitants of Hollow Bastion do not look upon us, those of Radiant Garden, as savage invaders. There has been a travesty, a crime, committed against you. Your king has been killed but not by our hand. Your king and his sons were all murdered…by your general, Sephiroth." There was a shocked murmur and cries of _'Slander!'_ and _'Where's your proof?!' _These were silenced by some well timed swipes with bare hands from the victorious army. "Our king is shocked and angered by this act of treason and he will not allow such an act to be done without doing the punishment that is sorely deserved. So place yourselves into our hands. We shall take care of you, as citizens of the Radiant Garden Empire and as the people of the proud nation of Hollow Bastion. Let us no longer by rivals, but now be friends and equals."

There seemed to be a silence that followed this short yet powerful speech, and then some murmuring of agreement.

"We shall go forth into a brighter future!" Zexion added. "Your children will no longer starve like they had been! They will no longer lack the proper clothing! The gateways will be made stronger and steadfast, protecting them all from danger! Do you want this?"

The people of the defeated kingdom were a lot more enthusiastic, finally persuaded by the advisor, their shouts of agreement reaching the heights of gentle sea breezes turning into harsh and merciless stormy gusts. After all, children were indeed the hope of the future. It only made sense to better it now for them to have good lives later. Zexion smiled quietly to himself.

To him, it was the oldest yet noblest of tricks to use.

All the while, Leon had circled the walls once and was about to make his second lap, his anger still at bubbling over like boiled water in a cauldron.


	7. Calm

**A/N:** Sorry it took so long to update. I had a heck of a week but no worries, I will make up for lost time.

First, all my thanks to my beta reader Lady Karai -kneels, bows and worships- You are the sun, the moon and the stars in the sky. I am just the crustiest piece of soil on the earth. If that analogy doesn't explain just how much I appreciate the help, I don't know what!

Second of all: my anon reviewers. Must thank them too!  
_tasuki001:_ Well, I can't really give you much of a hint. Leon and Sephiroth fighting? Well, who knows. It may happen. But even I don't know where this story will end. As for the long paragraphs, 'pologies. I get carried away and start waffling XD. As for the 'who's dominating and who's the submissive partner?' question...seriously, you just have to read to see where things go (though, for me, it's hard to imagine Cloud as the dominant partner. Maybe it's the height. Leon's about an inch taller than Cloud according to Squeenix. In my mind: Tall equals Seme.)  
_bigfan!_: Eh heh heh, you caught me. I think what happened was that my very-obsessed-about-Johnny-Depp-fan-friend had forced me to watch POTC again...and I think that scene stuck in my mind. As for the writer in training...yeah, pretty much. I'm aiming to get into a Creative Writing course at university.  
_Lari_: And I think I can answer most of your questions! Why were the people of HB so easily subdued? Herd mentality and following the strongest one. No one wants to stand up against a bully that has a whole army behind them. It was common back in medieval times for peasants and weaker tribes to follow a stronger leader if their own leader was defeated. Were they fiercely loyal to the royals? Probably not; there was a bit a chapter or so back that stated that people outside the city were welcoming the RG troops because they were under heavy laws and taxes. Sephiroth and his brothers had near complete control over everything (I might have implied that...but correct me if I'm wrong). Everything else...well, the answers will sooner or later be revealed. Though with Axel, expect more questions than answers (I like writing him as one of those living oxymorons)

OK. Now that's all said and done, please enjoy and review! Reviews are my triple chocolate muffins!

**

* * *

Calm.** Leon couldn't help but feel a sense of calmness had descended among the ranks on the journey home. They had left Lexaeus with his new land to govern, while Xigbar and Xaldin made the way back to the lands they had been entrusted to with their forces. So now it was only the king, the warrior Axel, the advisor Zexion and the medic Vexen with all their men and prizes of the war tramping their way back to Radiant Garden. They had been travelling for a day and now on their second, were well within the moors of Leon's kingdom. 

Leon regularly checked on Cloud, seeing that the now former prince was refusing to speak with him while Riku cared for him, and his younger brother looked out of their wagon to see the changing landscape. The king saw no danger in them all being together. Hollow Bastion was now firmly part of Radiant Garden's empire.

Sometimes, though, Leon swore that Cloud knew what had happened that day when Hollow Bastion fell.

Other than that, he wondered how much more Leon could push Cloud until the blond could no longer take it.

* * *

Young Prince Sora looked out on top of the hill, his horse, a young white mare called Oathkeeper (or Oath for short) braying friskily. His bright eyes surveyed the scene, wondering if his brother, the king of Radiant Garden, would be returning. 

"You're like a little dog sometimes," laughed his companion, a young girl called Kairi. She sat beside him on her chestnut mare Paradise, her shoulder-length crimson-red hair flowing in the wind.

"Am not!" Sora retorted indignantly. "I just worry about Leon. He gets a little too enthusiastic sometimes."

"Enthusiastic is putting it mildly, my prince, and you know it."

"Kairi! I already told you to call me 'Sora' when no one else is around!" the prince whined.

"Sorry. Force of habit," the girl teased. She then looked out onto the windy moors. "You're not the only one who has a brother fighting. Axel is too. And he sometimes treats a fight as if it's a game…if it's not serious."

"Good thing Zexion is with them, huh?"

"I don't think he has much power over them."

"Point taken." Sora sighed, hoping upon hope that Leon would be coming back soon. This was Hollow Bastion. It was a stronghold and it had links to the Arcadian Empire. To not be wary would be foolish. It was during these thoughts Sora noticed something appear. "Kairi! Look!"

The red-haired girl looked to where her prince was pointing, and saw the familiar figure of a rider on a black stallion and the familiar shock of red hair, both followed by a long line of riders, footmen and wagons and carts. "They're back!"

"Let's go meet them!" Sora enthused, already cantering down the hill at full speed.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

* * *

When there was a shout of riders heading towards them, Leon was at first perplexed. Who would greet them so early when none of them had sent a messenger pigeon to alert the kingdom they were successful? He was answered when he saw just who the riders were. Any girl with short red hair who dared to wear a man's tunic and trousers could only mean that another person would be right ahead of them. 

"Leon!" the boy rider shouted happily. "Leon! You're back!"

Only one person was allowed to call the king by his name. And that was his brother, Sora. The king couldn't help but smile when he saw his beloved brother riding towards him, seeing the boy's bright blue eyes for the first time in weeks. Sora tried to hug his elder brother, but it proved difficult since the two horses were so far apart. Leon ruffled the boy's hair, giving him one of his rare warm smiles. "Save it for later. I'll accept it then." He then blinked and narrowed his gaze at Sora. "Does Edea even know you're out of the castle?"

"Ehhh….no…?"

Leon eyes narrowed even further. "So it's just you and the lady Kairi?" The red-headed girl was now talking to her brother Axel.

"Yes," Sora grinned. Leon shook his head.

"You know it's dangerous. What if you got stuck in a marsh or one of the mires? What then?"

"But I don't go near the marshes or mires," the young prince pouted.

"That's beside the point! What if you do?"

"Umm…" Sora put a finger to his lips, going deep into thought. Though, it was something that you never would've expected from the young prince. Leon sighed.

"Never mind. Let's just get you home before Edea worries about you further."

Sora beamed at his brother, his once deep thoughts now broken as they began their journey back home. "Oh, so what did you manage to get this time Leon?"

"You'll see."

"Is Hollow Bastion part of our lands now?"

"Yes."

"Thought so. Lexaeus would be with you!"

"Hollow Bastion is his responsibility now. I had to return here. This…is where my responsibility lies first and foremost."

"How about the old man that ruled Hollow Bastion?"

Leon went silent, not looking at his brother.

"Leon?"

"I'll explain later."

* * *

The castle was now only a few feet away from them when one guard let out a long blow of a horn to announce their arrival. The tall wall curtain stood out as a fortress, protecting all those within the walls with arms of stone, the tall keep inside standing proud and intimidating to all those who dared to besiege it. Leon felt an overwhelming sense of relief when he saw the familiarity of his home, from the merlons of the crenellations, the drawbridge over the deep ditch that made it difficult for enemies to get over to the walls, right down to the spacious bailey that he could see through the opening portcullis. 

Home. This was home. They all trotted across the drawbridge and into the bailey, nodding his greetings to the men who bowed respectfully before him and the other nobles.

"Looks like Edea hasn't noticed," Sora grinned. "If I can just get inside without her knowing-"

"Sora Apollo Andros of the House of Leonhart!" a shrill woman's voice boomed from the entrance to the keep, making Sora, and many other men who were not used to hearing such an intimidating voice, wince visibly. Leon held back a snigger.

"Looks like you got caught," Leon smirked. Sora pouted at him and stuck his tongue out childishly.

"Come here right this instant! You too Kairi of Aurelias!"

The two young ones rode up to the keep, heads hanging down in shame so not to look upon the face of Edea, the once Regent of Radiant Garden and nurse of the royal sons of Laguna. Axel and Leon shared glances, both having to hide their amusement since they too remembered having the stern nurse lecture them for their childhood escapades.

"Things never change," Axel chortled.

"Indeed they don't," Leon replied as he watched the two fifteen-year-olds get lectured. "Come. We'd better lighten her mood."

Axel nodded, riding up to the keep alongside Leon as Zexion and Vexen organised the troops into the bailey, shouting orders. They halted at the steps of the keep, dismounting off their horses and handing them over to stable boys who awaited them patiently before bowing and taking them away. Sora and Kairi up above them were still getting a lengthy talk by Edea, who carried on prattling about this, that and the other.

"And Kairi! You are a young lady! I expect you to dress as one! That brother of yours has absolutely no control over you with that lax attitude of his!"

"But would you like me any more if I didn't have that 'lax attitude'?" Axel asked cheekily as both warrior and king made their way up.

Edea looked up, blinking as if seeing them for the first time. She was a tall thin woman that dressed in a black silken dress with spun silver thread sewn into it in the designs of a spider's web, her dark bewitching looks that never truly seemed to age striking either fear or entrancement in those who looked upon her. They say she had been a sorceress in her native Galbadia. But Leon had yet to see her use any power, though her extensive knowledge of herbs, potions and ointments seemed far greater then even Vexen's. He hadn't even been in her quarters. It would've been deemed impolite to do that.

Despite that, this was the woman who had reared the royal children, the woman who cared for the noble children and watched over them, and the woman who helped to keep Radiant Garden together in the wild days of being ruled by a child monarch. She walked down and embraced the two men affectionately, kissing each of their foreheads, cheeks and then gave them both respectful bows. "Welcome home…the both of you."

* * *

Cloud only could remember that he had refused to speak since they started heading further northwest to the moors of Radiant Garden. Riku would tend to him, ask him where he had gotten his wounds, but nothing would make the once proud Prince of Hollow Bastion talk. Roxas wasn't exactly speaking either, but he was watching in awe as the landscape changed shape and transformed from open fields to misty moor land. A day later, Cloud heard the sound of horses' hooves clopping against a stone floor. And then the sound of men greeting loudly the ones they had left behind, then the loud voice of a shrill woman, and then the sound of jovial men greeted his ears again. 

"What will happen to us?" Roxas asked quietly. They were the only three in the wagon. Everything else was treasures, weapons, and prize horses trotted along with some foot soldiers further ahead. Cloud remained mute, blue eyes silently fuming at the thought of their capture at the hands of some arrogant butcher.

"I don't know," Riku whispered mutedly. "All I know is our fates."

"Which is?" Roxas asked.

"I am to be a servant of the king's brother. Prince Roxas, you will be in the care of Axel. I'm not sure what he'll have you do though, and Prince Cloud…" Riku shook his head. "I don't know. It was never said."

"I'll tell you what I will be," Cloud spoke for the first time in two days. The other two captives looked at him with surprise, having not expected him to speak at all. "I will be that Butcher Leonhart's murderer."

"That's something you should not say so casually, my prince," Riku laughed uneasily, checking immediately to see if anyone had heard him.

"I will kill him I will kill him I will kill him!" Cloud ranted childishly, wanting nothing more than to have the chance to chop the conquering king into pieces and then maul and slice and dice those pieces until nothing was left of the brunet storm-eyed barbarian king. If he could do that, he'd die happy.

The next thing they knew, Roxas and Riku were dragged out of the wagon all of a sudden, and then Cloud was pushed out. The blond let out an irritated growl, trying to fight out of the firm grip that held him. He soon calmed down when he felt the small of his back being tickled by the tip of a spear. He was smart enough to know that right now, fighting would be the most idiotic thing to do. They had weapons. He did not.

"Where are you taking us?" Cloud demanded in a low voice. He received no answer, but was pushed along past the soldiers that were busy celebrating and being greeted and embraced by their loved ones. Roxas and Riku were being pushed along too, both of them not fighting, though Roxas looked around, mistrusting his surroundings.

Though in truth, the young boy was looking for something familiar, even though he was supposed to hate the man that had the red hair.

They were brought before the short slate-haired man that Cloud had seen on numerous occasions. Riku averted his gaze to the floor while Roxas stared at him, his face a picture of uncertainty.

"Lord Zexion, what should we do with them?"

"The silver-haired one will be presented, as will the older blond. The younger blond Sir Axel has requested not to go through with the formalities. Said something about not wanting what's his being showed off like some horse," Zexion muttered, but then continued, "Take the older two to the servants' quarters. They shall deal with them. The younger one is to be escorted to Sir Axel's room."

"As you command, milord," one of the guards affirmed. He then poked Roxas away towards the keep. "Come along you."

"Roxas…" Cloud wanted to reach out and grab him but found himself unable to due to his restraints. He and Riku were dragged away to another part of the castle, spears dangerously tickling their backs.

* * *

Roxas was pushed rather unceremoniously into a room, landing on his knees on the grey stone floors. He turned, wanting to yell at them for being so disrespectful, but then remembered his place. He was no longer a prince. He didn't know what he was any more. 

He looked around. The room was quite small compared to some of the larger rooms they had gone past, but it was cosy. A four-poster bed sat with its head to the stone wall, the walls decorated with one tapestry and weapons forged for show, the floor covered with fresh straw and a few bear skin rugs. At the other end of the room, an empty fireplace, swept clean of ash and cold from the lack of fires, stood, a suit of armour standing by it like some silent watchman, motionless but knowing everything that had happened within this room from acts of hatred, to acts of love. Roxas shivered as a gust blew through the open window, hearing wooden shutters bash against the grey stone walls outside.

The door opened. Roxas turned his head, seeing Axel standing there. The boy said nothing.

"Apologies for not taking you here myself, but I had a sister to save from a severe lecture," Axel grinned, walking over to the boy and picking him up so that he was standing.

"…Why can't I be with my brother?"

"I'm not up for showing off my prizes."

"Why?"

"It never has been my thing." Axel sat down on the bed, sighing contently at the comfort of a down mattress, a quilt and a large fur comforter underneath him. "Despite the wealth, I don't really have a large castle to boast."

"You do not?"

"Castles are expensive things to run," Axel explained. "You pay for a few servants' wages, need to buy goods, have things repaired, often need to quarry more stone, settle out the taxes on top of that…it's stress that I don't need." He lay back on the bed with an easy smile. "So I had the castle pulled down and have four longhouses instead. Much cheaper and easier to deal with."

"Longhouses?"

Axel blinked. "You've never seen one?" Roxas shook his head. "Well, you'll see what one looks like soon enough."

"What about the people that work on your land? What will happen to them if you are attacked?"

"Like I said, the longhouses are sufficient. Plus, I've had them all trained to defend themselves. Many of the men who fought your kingdom actually work on my land."

"So…you mean…?"

"My guards? They're serfs off duty."

"Every single one of them?"

"Aye."

Roxas blinked. "And your lands…now?"

"Women, children, a few men left behind to keep an eye on them just in case. My manservant –oh, he's one I wouldn't dare play cards against. He's a tricky one– and then there's my sister. She might not look it, but she's a tough one. Don't cross blades with her unless you want to get shouted down."

"You sound like you fear her."

"I do. When I'm not worrying about her picking a sword up."

"Why?"

"I do not want to find out what damage she can do with one. Giving her a dagger is dangerous enough."

"She's violent?"

"No. Easily targeted. Then you put her with the Prince Sora and it's double the trouble. The last thief that tried to steal from them lost an eye."

Roxas quivered. Indeed, Axel's sister did sound quite terrifying. It made Roxas a bit dubious about being separated from Cloud and Riku.

"She'll like you," Axel murmured, probably to assure him. "Kairi is quite friendly once you get to know her."

Roxas gave him a look that was a picture showing all of his uncertainty, fear, mistrust and questioning of whether Axel and this sister of his were even sane. Axel shook his head. Like he had thought, he could read Roxas like a book.

"What will happen to me?"

"Hmm…" Axel pondered. "I don't really need another servant. Plenty around to help. But I don't think you're the type who'd go into the fields with the peasantry." He then had a rueful look in his eyes. "I'm always being pestered by my manservant to get a squire or a pageboy." He looked at Roxas, sitting up and considering him. Roxas shrank a little, not trusting that look. "Maybe…you know the manners and behaviour expected of a member of the court. You're the right age as well…" He shrugged and sank back onto the bed. "I shall think about it. For now, you're my guest until I either make my mind up or think of something else you could do."

Roxas looked at him, unblinking and going through the possibility. Being a squire did sound a lot better than having the life of a peasant or servant. What could possibly be more suitable to Roxas?

* * *

Cloud and Riku found themselves being pushed into a room within one of the wall turrets, looking around at the mass of servants who were off duty for the day or changing into separate clothing. Riku had his face downcast again; Cloud looked among them arrogantly. A servant?! He, a prince, was now a servant?! Cloud's already murderous thoughts of Leon were getting even darker and more evil. 

"Riku and Cloud, correct?"

Cloud snapped his head over to where the voice was coming from. A woman stood in front of them. She was a head taller than most of the other women, with long raven-black hair, pale muscled skin that was slightly freckled from working in the sun and dark wine coloured eyes within a softly rounded face. Her clothing was a simple black tunic dress with a white overdress, a black corded belt wrapped around her waist. Cloud only nodded towards her. She was a servant of the enemy. He did not have any obligation to speak to her.

"I am Tifa Lockhart, the head maid. Kiros would talk to you but he is busy with other concerns." She gave a short stiff curtsey as a formal greeting. Riku, being polite, bowed in earnest. Cloud did not. Tifa shot him a little disapproving glance but said nothing on the subject. "We have been ordered to clean you both up from your journey from Hollow Bastion. So please come this way."

She pointed to the farthest corner of the room, where green wood was crackling with a blazing fire in the stone fireplace and a large copper tub was being filled with water from a nearby spring. The two captives exchanged glances. A bath? Why the sudden pleasantries from their captors? And why was Roxas separated from them? Was he being forced into some despicable act? Was he being tortured? Was he being killed? These were the questions racing through both their minds. These and many others concerning what lay ahead of them in the future.

The raven-haired maid pushed them along, seemingly appearing from behind them out of no where. Cloud dug in his heels while Riku went along with it, knowing that there was no point in fighting. Tifa growled angrily, pushing Riku along and letting him go there himself all the while shoving the blond captive that refused to move.

"Will you please do as you're told," Tifa snapped. "If you don't get cleaned up, we'll get into trouble for it."

"That is none of my concern," Cloud retorted. If he had known that the woman behind him was a living breathing firecracker, he would've kept his mouth shut.

The tall woman's already thinning patience snapped. "You underestimate me, 'highness'…" She gave the back of Cloud's knees a good swift kick, forcing him to move or fall to the ground.

Cloud fell; he ungracefully fell to the cold hard stone floor. He turned around, glaring with his sapphire-coloured eyes at those who laughed quietly, mockingly, at him. They were silenced. Riku could only watch with his aqua-green stare.

"You should be glad that such an ungrateful brat like you was even allowed to live," Tifa continued, an angry scowl on her face. "You should be glad that the king was being merciful enough to even allow you into his own home. So unless you want to try not only the servant's patience but the king's as well, I suggest you clean up your behaviour as well as your primped up little body. Do you understand me?!"

It had become very silent in the room, like the calm after the storm, when the heavy sparkling droplets of rain fell to the ground, soothing the battered ground. Cloud had no soothing rain drops to help. All he had was the silence, the few drops of water that dropped to the floor from the jugs that filled up the copper tub with a plop, the angry red stare and the odd wind whistling through the open windows.

"Now," Tifa started, her pretty face returning to normal, her voice no longer shaking with rage. "Please take your clothes off and allow us to wash you. The king expects you to be clean from the grime of war."

Cloud barely moved for a few moments. When he did, he picked himself up in a smooth movement, taking himself over. "I can clean myself thank you. I do not feel like letting others touch me."

Tifa did nothing…though she did roll her eyes and mumbled something that sounded akin to an insult when Cloud's back was turned. The room slowly returned to its normal day-to-day humdrum.


	8. Trouble

**A/N:** Another update for you all. Now...what has happened to me so far...Oh, I seem to be having a run of bad luck concerning fires. Sunday: Planning on going to Camden Loch in London. In the morning, my mom tells me it burnt down so we have to make do with Covnent Garden, which doesn't have the best market on the Sunday of Chinese New Year. Monday: We go to the cinema to watch a film. It turns out that it had a fire alarm when we arrived. One woman with her two kids have stood out in the cold for an hour and a half, only having just got the tickets when the alarm was set off. Tuesday: I'm almost expecting something to happen to the opticians or something XD

Anyway, thanks to Lady Karai for editing this chapter. I made the changes and noticed a few while doing it. Combined efforts are the best!

Please enjoy and reviews please! They are my...Slimfast milkshake (dieting again (sweatdrop))

**

* * *

Trouble.** Edea always had this ability to sense trouble before it happened. There always had been many rumours about how she was able to tell what would happen in the future. Some claimed she was a witch, others a sorceress from her native Galbadia. Some said she had a magic mirror that would answer every question she gave it, while others said it was a ball of crystal that fell from the sky that helped her to foresee the future. Some had heard that she was able to fly like a bird and control the clouds and their temperaments; others heard that she could swim like a fish and govern the creatures that lived in the rivers, streams and lakes to do her bidding. There were even claims that she had somehow made the king an invincible foe by dipping him in the underground rivers of eternity and invulnerability that surrounded the world of the dead. There were so many rumours that tried to explain the mystery that was the royal nurse and former Regent of Radiant Garden. But only she knew the answers. 

And her left foot was telling her that trouble was afoot. She had thought it might've been the prince and his usual companion up to no good again, but even when they had been reprimanded, her foot was not done warning her. It was getting to a point where she was really wishing she owned even half the fantastical objects that it was claimed she owned to give her a straight answer.

She had also noticed that Leon seemed a bit…angry even though he had successfully taken over control of Hollow Bastion with very little fight left within the inhabitants when their forces were defeated. She expected him to be overjoyed, smile a little more, feel like the whole burden that had rested on his mind constantly since he was a little boy had been lifted off his shoulders. But he was not any of those things. If anything, it seemed that the burden had increased even though he reported to her with a smirking half-hearted happiness all that had happened…though he never elaborated on how the king of Hollow Bastion had been killed.

"My lord, what troubles you?" Edea asked soothingly, placing an affectionate concerned hand on his broad shoulder. He was looking out the window that faced in the direction of Hollow Bastion, a place he often visited in his childhood and in the days leading up to Hollow Bastion's invasion. "You have killed your parents' enemy and taken over his country. You should be happy."

"I didn't kill him," Leon whispered lowly. Edea knew he only lowered his voice to disguise any inkling of upset he may be feeling. "I was beaten."

Edea took a sharp intake of breath. She could only imagine his shock, his anger, his feeling of defeat when he had seen that he had been beaten. "Do you know by whom?" She had asked this very softly to coax the answer out of him but not to anger him. He showed her something he had kept on his person at all times ever since that fateful day: the sharp silver dagger with the green handle, the encircling slithering silver snake with the taunting unblinking emerald eye.

"Do you know any family that has a snake as their emblem?"

"Only one…but you could hardly call them a family. They all claim they had the same mother even though she founded them many years ago. They call themselves the House of Jenova."

"Jenova…" Leon murmured, locking the name into his mind. "Sephiroth of Jenova…I'll remember that name."

"You think he did it?"

"He was the closest one to the king. I think he was even closer to him than the king's own sons. Plus the other three brothers were no where in sight. They were Hollow Bastion's last hope…and they abandoned them." Leon continued to stare out the window. "I cannot help but think that we gave them the opportune moment for them to carry out some elaborate plot."

"But the youngest two sons of the king…you've kept them alive. Why?"

"I don't know. The youngest I am not worried about. He is Axel's concern. But Cloud…" he smirked a little. "He intrigues me."

Edea knew that smirk. It was the kind of smirk Leon only ever got when he was thinking of ways of slowly punishing his enemy for his crimes against the House of Leonhart or when he was getting a very wicked idea. Edea also knew this predatory smirk was like the one the old king Laguna would've had when eyeing a woman who was of the status of a concubine. It had only taken two weeks for the old queen Raine to beat the fascination out of her husband, but Edea could still see the smirk in her mind's eye.

Even though she and many of Laguna's old court that were now part of Leon's court had said the young king was most like his mother, Leon was, in a few little ways, very much like his father.

"Your mother forbade concubines for the royal family's use," Edea reminded him.

"My mother is dead," Leon countered, turning away from the window and brushing his arm against hers as he made to pass her. "I decide on the domestic running of this castle, not her ghost."

"And if you marry?"

"I pray I never have to come to that," Leon muttered lowly. "I am not interested in finding a bride or making a marriage vow I may not be able to keep to."

"Why is that?"

"War and conquest are much too entertaining," was the cold reply as Leon walked away. Edea could only sigh. She had a feeling Leon would be like that but she told herself it was only a childhood phase that was still stubborn. Once he grew older, she was sure he would see sense and realise that he was not, despite what he may believed, immortal.

Her left foot, however, was still giving her grief. What was this trouble that would come but she could not see?

* * *

Roxas felt out of place in his new clothes in the warmth of Axel's room. The once cold and empty fireplace now had a fire springing to life, sparks crackling and dancing. Flames flickered and swooped as the wind blew at it, but it was stubbornly burning on, almost as if it were invulnerable to all that could put it out, illuminating the room that risked being darkened by the night. He bunched a little bit of the sky blue tunic in his hands, looking at the sturdy light brown strap-and-buckle leather boots that were a size too big but were comfy enough. His tan woollen trousers itched and rubbed against his legs on the inside of the boots, something he was highly unused to. He didn't even have any of his usual accessories on, like his pendant that he treasured highly. That had been lost in the battle, when he was trying to escape capture but utterly failed at that. Now thinking of that…he hoped that his brother and Riku were alright. 

"Why can't I be with them?" he asked to the flames, as if searching for answers from them. "Why must I be separated from the only two people I can trust?"

He didn't feel like going to festivities celebrating Hollow Bastion's invasion and complete take over. If any thing, he would rather be with them, thinking of ways to take back Hollow Bastion and its people that turned their backs on their leaders.

"You look nice."

Roxas turned, seeing Axel but not how he remembered him. Axel was now wearing a forest green tunic with elaborate swirling silver designs on the hem and neck of it, a twisted rope of golden-coloured thread serving as a belt. His trousers were a dark rich brown that went inside similarly coloured leather boots that were, more or less, the same style as Roxas'. Very little had been done to tame his unruly red hair but his face…Roxas was stunned at seeing just how _clean_ of blood, sweat, war paint and general toil it was. All there was of the battle-ready warrior were those two symbols under his eyes and the black paint that lined them. Roxas looked away, not wanting to look at the face anymore. Any longer…and he was sure to start admiring that sharp angular face. Axel let out a short chortle, amused by the action.

"You'll have a chance to meet my sister before we set out for my home tomorrow. She's expecting you," Axel said, admiring just how pretty Roxas looked from behind. He preferred looking at his face though, that was for certain.

"I don't want to go," Roxas replied shortly, finally growing a backbone after days of living in despair at how his own kingdom seemed to turn their backs on him. "I refuse to celebrate my kingdom's fall."

Axel blinked, surprised at this sudden spurt of feistiness. But at the same time, he rather liked this. He had a good long glimpse of Roxas at his most vulnerable state. Now this was the young former prince when he had a stronger character. "If that's what you wish, I could just leave you here until tomorrow…but I can tell you that you won't be having food or drink brought up here. The servants are too busy serving everyone else downstairs. You haven't had anything since we left Hollow Bastion, correct?"

Roxas hated to admit it, but Axel was right. Everyone had practically gone hungry during those two days of travel, relying only on the water supplies and a few hardened biscuits. Of course, Cloud had been denied food via the enemy king's orders, but the blond's brother was beyond caring about whether he ate or not. Roxas could only imagine all the things going on inside Cloud's head.

Begrudgingly, he stood, knowing that any good food now should be taken full advantage of. Axel smiled a fraction. "Good boy." Roxas growled at him, angry sapphire eyes glaring at him. Axel shook his head, his emerald gaze looking at him with amusement. "Come on. We can't keep them waiting."

* * *

Sora was very excited. He had heard gossip that Leon had gotten him something from the latest conquest. And, common within children, he began to wonder and ask about it. All he ever heard was the unsatisfactory answers of 'Wait until this evening' or 'It would ruin the surprise'. Sora wanted to know _**now**_! 

He sat next to his older brother, dressed in all his finery with all the other members of the court who were not committed to conquered lands, all of them showing off their wealth and riches that they had received from the latest conquest and from wars long ago. He looked up at his brother.

Leon. Edea told him that his real name was Squall but he would not take upon that name until their parents' deaths were avenged. But Sora had always known him to be 'Leon'. Leon the proud warrior. Leon the strong leader. Leon the silver-tongued politician. Leon the good brother. And here he was now, dressed in the finest silks from Wutai and strapped boots from his native homeland, a circular crown of Midgarian gold studded with gems from Galbadia resting upon his forehead while a small silver hoop hung from his ear. Resting upon his shoulders was his usual lion skin and round his neck was the pride and joy of the king's attire: the lion's head pendant with a cross beneath it. It was one of the few heirlooms that reminded the two brothers of their mother and father and the national symbol of their kingdom. Leon guarded it with his life, and wore it around his neck nearly all the time. Sora sometimes teased him that he cared more for the silver lion than he did for his own country, to which Leon had replied that the lion was the very symbol of their home. If he did not care for it, who would?

Zexion, no longer in his traveller's cloak but in a deep purple tunic and black trousers and boots, came up to them, bowing to the royal brothers respectfully. "My liege, my prince, shall we begin?"

Leon nodded his head. "We've kept Sora waiting long enough."

Sora nearly leapt out of his seat, but then remembered that he would hear another lengthy lecture from Edea about messing up his sea blue silken tunic that was never to even have a speck of wine on it by accident, so he kept to his seat, tapping his boots impatiently, a hand clutching at his white cotton trousers so to stop his fidgeting. He felt Leon ruffle his hair and straighten out his circlet of silver. "Edea will have your guts for garters if she catches you with a wonky circlet."

"I think she'll have more than just my guts for garters," Sora gulped. "She'll have my stomach for a water skin, my heart for a purse, my skull for a cup, my skin for a book cover and who knows what she'll do with the rest of me."

"Still hold firm to the belief that she's a sorceress?"

"She has to be. How else did she know that Kairi and I were going to sneak into the kitchens and grab something sweet?"

"Were you sick during that time?"

"…yes…"

"There's your answer then."

Sora pouted, about to say something, but Leon shook his head and gave him a smile that was for Sora's eyes only. He went quiet, knowing that it was one of those smiles that Leon gave when he did not want to be argued with and/or that he knew best. After all, the young prince had always been quite a sickly child. He could easily boast that he had come into contact with more illnesses and maladies than any other child, though he never saw it that way. It was more of a curse. He could never truly have a normal childhood even if he had never been born into royalty.

Silence fell among the revellers as guards came in, pushing forward a tall pale boy who looked only a year older than Sora. The prince looked at him, slightly blinking. The boy's pale skin contrasted with the dark green tunic and mud-coloured trousers he was wearing, eyes hidden by long strands of silver hair that fell past his shoulders and down his back. His hands were tied behind his back, his face downcast. Zexion bowed once more to the royal brothers, particularly to Sora.

"My prince, a gift from the army that defends our borders and wins Radiant Garden great victories over our enemies," Zexion started. He then looked over to the boy, gesturing for the guards to lift his head. One guard forced that downcast face to look at Sora…and the prince was left in awe.

The boy's pale face, the same colour as the blossom of a vanilla plant, was growing some mature angles yet it still had some softness of boyhood curves. His lips were a soft tone of pale pink. But it was the boy's eyes that had entranced Sora. They were an unearthly shade of aqua-green, shimmering in the dull light brightly. The young prince couldn't believe that such a person existed, and furthermore, was being given to him.

"His name is Riku. He's a year older than your highness and he formerly served the House of Strife as an advisor-in-training. So far, he's shown that he's beautifully behaved so your highness will have little to do to tame him."

Sora internally sighed with relief. He had seen how a servant from another conquered land was 'broken into' by Leon's treatment. Leon with a whip made a terrifying sight in the younger brother's eyes. Zexion looked at him expectantly. "What do you think of him my prince? Does he suit your fancy?"

Sora stood up from his seat, walking over to the boy until only a few inches separated them. His eyes stared into those pools of green, seeing some form of hidden anguish and damaged pride in them. They were not lifeless like Sora had expected. They still had some spirit in them. It meant that Leon was not completely successful in breaking this one if he was behind this boy's passive attitude. He grinned widely at 'Riku'. Riku blinked, having not expected to see such an honest and open grin like that.

"If he's well behaved, why are his hands tied up?" Sora asked Zexion. The advisor looked stunned for words.

"Well -_ahem_- we didn't want to take any risks in case he proved to have some fight within him, for your own safety and for the protection of the others," Zexion mumbled his explanation. It sounded rehearsed, like he had been told to say that in case the prince asked him something childishly naïve.

"He doesn't look dangerous to me. Untie him. He's allowed his hands," Sora beamed. Zexion looked over to Leon; the king nodded his consent. Riku's hands were unbound, and he rubbed back the life into his sore wrists. Sora then grabbed Riku by his wrist and started pulling him along back to where he was seated. "Come with me Riku." The silver-haired youth nodded his head, still in surprise.

Riku had not expected his new master to be so…welcoming and kind to him, a spoil of war.

The revelries began once more after that presentation. Roxas couldn't help but feel sick when he saw the usually quiet yet dutiful Riku who exuded silent pride looking so defeated, being looked upon and sold as if he were cattle. But when Sora, a boy who looked just about the same age as him, showed some form of kindness to the silver-haired youth, Roxas smiled inwardly. Riku would be okay. This Prince Sora would care for him. He never struck the former prince to be as cruel or as cold as it did when Roxas looked upon the threatening form of the king.

The question remained though: what would happen to Cloud?

Axel leaned over a little. "You're glad that Riku's got himself a good master, hmm?"

Roxas looked at him, those blue eyes showing the older man his feelings again, though it was unintentional. Axel nodded. "Yes, you are. But you're wondering about your brother too."

"How can you tell?" Roxas questioned, scowling that his thoughts seemed to have been read.

"It's a secret," Axel winked. He then sat up straight. "Ah, Kairi."

Roxas looked up, seeing a young girl, maybe a few months younger than him, with long shoulder-length crimson-red hair and deep blue eyes that were almost coloured lavender. She wore a long red gown with a bell sleeves, golden trimming and silver necklaces and bracelets. A small cape of red linen was attached to her shoulders, pinned down by silvery brooches with ruby gems studded into them. Roxas lowered his gaze.

"Is this the prize I've heard so much about?" the girl asked, cocking her head to the side. "I would've thought you would've chosen some big bruiser to help out with the land-work."

"I decided to treat myself," Axel smirked. "And besides, you're always complaining that there's no one your own age to talk to."

"Yes but-" The sound of hushing whispers and a loud screech echoed in the air, making the girl jump with fright.

"Ah, the king's prize," Axel nodded. "I had a feeling he'd announce his presence."

* * *

Cloud was kicking, biting, yelling and shouting at the guards that were trying to force him into the main hall. But Cloud was proving that he was no proud and graceful eagle. No, he was more of a wolf. Untameable and once cornered, fought back ferociously. A guard screeched in pain when his hand strayed too close to Cloud's face, Cloud's sharp incisors closing over the hardened flesh of the guard's palm. 

"The bastard bit me!"

"Easy men, we can't kill him! We'll hang by our necks if we do!"

"Get moving!"

Finally, Cloud was pushed into the main hall, still trying to fight out, not even taking note of where he was or who was seeing him. All he knew was that he wanted to get out. He had to escape! A life of always being mocked and snickered at was not a life worth living! He attacked again, this time kicking a man hard between his legs, making him fall to his knees, crying in agony.

As fast as that had happened, Cloud felt his head crash into the stone floor, smelling the straw on the stone floor and food that had collected on it during the night. The hand that held him there pressed a little, leaving him defenceless while his legs were forced to bend underneath the boy's slender frame and his arms were tied behind his back.

"Truly, your inability to submit at the most inconvenient of times is starting to tire me," Leon's deep voice sighed. Cloud struggled, trying to sit up, but that strong hand kept him pinned to the floor, refusing to set him free. He could hear the people watching them, all of them dressed in their best clothes and jewellery.

"What a wild boy."

"He's a monster."

"Why would the king choose to have such an untameable creature as his prize?"

"A boy like him should be kept behind bars, not allowed to serve in a royal household."

"A boy like him should be put to death. Who wants a troublesome prize?"

Cloud was picked up by the nape of his neck to look at Leon, glaring at him with his sapphire-coloured eyes and baring his teeth to emit a low growl. Leon looked at him with cold indifference at first…and then smirked. "Though, I admire how much spirit you have even in the face of danger or defeat."

"My liege," Zexion whispered, standing over them. "We will have him justly punished for this kind of behaviour if you wish."

"No need," Leon waved him off. "I will deal with him myself."

"My liege?"

"Trust me. I can handle him on my own."

Zexion nodded and bowed. "What shall we do with him now, my liege? He's distressing some of the ladies in attendance."

"Just take him to my room. I'll deal with him in there."

Cloud chose that exact moment to head butt Leon in the chest, his skull connecting with Leon's hardened chest. Leon looked down at Cloud, startled for a moment. The attack caused a surprised commotion as Cloud got to his feet, planning on fighting even with his arms bound together.

"He's out of control!" one lord shouted.

"Cloud!" a familiar voice yelled. Cloud stalled, turning to see his brother Roxas among the revellers. Roxas was fine! He looked clean, well treated…but what was that look for? He felt himself being grabbed from behind, a hand at his throat while a dagger was pressed to his back. He felt himself being strangled, the life-giving air denied to him.

"Think you have embarrassed yourself enough, Cloud?" Leon's voice hissed in his ear. Cloud tried to answer back, but only a choking sound came out as he fought for breath. "I know that you do not care if you die here tonight, but think of your brother and your friend. Your friend is in my household and can suffer because of your impudence and it can be arranged for your brother to be punished for anything. If you care about them, you will stop this nonsense. Is that clear?"

Cloud nodded his head slowly, gasping for air but knowing that he had already put his brother and Riku in a lot of danger because of what he had done.

"Good. Now you behave yourself."

* * *

Edea had watched all this quietly, now seeing where the trouble lay. 

This 'Cloud', once a prince and now a concubine to Leon, still held onto his fighting spirit and pride. And now he was an unwilling prisoner whose body and mind Leon was determined to make his own. His heart would be a great obstacle in Leon's plight, she knew that for certain.

Then there was the serpent-encircled dagger. The serpent, a symbol of evil, ill will and deceit. If the serpent's head was not cut off, then only trouble would come of it. Edea wished to the gods that Leon had chased after the snake that killed the old fool of Hollow Bastion. She feared the dagger. She feared its owner. She feared the ones with eyes of venomous snakes.

If Leon was not careful, the wolf would be enticed by the snake to kill the lion.

That was what The Wheel of Fortune card was telling her as she sat there in her room. She could only pray to the gods that Leon would be protected from such a murderous act.


	9. Darkness

**Darkness.** Cloud hated it. It didn't matter whether the room was dark, he was stuck out in a dark night, or if it was one of those underground caverns below the keep that he and Roxas used to explore in their earlier childhood, Cloud hated darkness. He was not prejudice to any type. So having his eyes blindfolded again, lying on something itchy and scratchy, made him tense. He didn't know where he was or how he had gotten here. All he remembered was being hit across the head after Leon released him from his tight grip and then waking up…wherever he was.

At first, he kept himself calm, telling himself that it was just a mind game Leon was playing, a game that Cloud could not afford to lose. But then the waiting got longer…and longer…and even longer. Cloud's self discipline had begun to snap, thread by thread, and he began to panic. His head darted around on the floor, trying to stand up but finding that his feet had been bound by his bare ankles, a small plank of wood separating them. To get up would mean that he would have to use his arms but they were still tightly tied behind him. He tried to stand, but fell onto his chest. He turned on his back, trying to launch himself off the floor and onto his feet but he lost his balance. He then put his feet on the floor, bent up and tried to place his weight so that he would be on his toes and could lift himself up but again, he bent too far and lost balance, landing on his chest with a clunk. He tried to wriggle around, find something to tell him where he was but everything made no sense to his cheeks. But the former prince persisted, unwilling to admit defeat even though his heart and mind was racing, his fear reaching to a point that could mean breaking down into a bag of terrified bones.

"Seeing you crawl like this reminds me of a worm," a deep voice smirked quietly. "They're as blind as a bat and have no limbs, relying only on their head, tail and body to get them around in the dirt."

"So glad that you are enjoying this," Cloud growled, though he was dismayed that his voice sounded breathless. He heard footsteps come to him.

"Cloud? You can't have been that desperate to escape. You would have been out for three hours and I waited another just to be sure."

"Sh-shut up!"

"And you have stammered." Those footsteps stopped, and he heard the rustling of clothes as he felt the presence of someone leaning over him. "The last time you were blindfolded, you were not too happy with that either, were you."

"Untie me this instant!" Cloud yelled. "If you don't, I'll- I'll-!"

"Oh…" Leon muttered. "You're afraid of the dark, aren't you?"

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"Then why do you sound like you're on the verge of breaking down?"

"Stop it! Get this thing off! Release me!"

"Not until you admit you're afraid of the dark."

"I'm not!"

"You are. You wouldn't be so insistent if you weren't."

"I'm not! Please just take this blindfold away! I can't see!"

"I don't feel like it."

"Leon! Please!"

"Do you fear the dark?"

"_Yes!!_ Take it off! Take it off! Please!"

Silence…and then he felt the blindfold being slipped away. Cloud opened his eyes, taking in the sight of the fire-lit room, looking around frantically to know where he was. It was a large torch-lit bedroom. An oak-wood four poster bed sat proudly like some monarch against the tapestry-covered wall, a few shields and swords and other armoury hanging on the walls for decoration. The floor was strewn with rushes from some riverside, a large bear skin covering the floor in front of the fireplace where the flames crackled and flickered. He sat up, not looking at Leon.

"So the proud prince does have a fear."

"Be quiet," Cloud snapped, angry at himself. "You've done enough tonight."

Leon easily smirked, gripping the blond by his chin and forcing him roughly to look at him. Angry sapphire met cruel grey-blue, neither willing to back down from the unceasing battle between them.

"Now…" Leon started, his voice low and soft. "I will free you from these ropes…only if you vow you'll behave yourself."

"I don't feel like making vows."

"Then you'll just stay on the floor tonight," Leon shrugged, standing up and moving away, taking the lion skin cloak off. "Even if you could manage to get onto your feet, walking will be very hard. Your ankles will end up bleeding on the floor and I'm sure you've met Tifa already. She doesn't take kindly to mess."

Cloud looked at his back murderously. "I hate you."

Leon sighed. "I noticed." He turned around and looked at Cloud for a while, seeing that his face was shadowed since his back was turned to the crackling flames. "I noticed."

"Then why do you keep me here?!" Cloud raged. "I hate you! And I know for certain that you have mutual feelings! So why won't you-!"

"How can you be so sure of how I think or feel towards you?" Leon interrupted him, one hand on his hip while the other rested on the bedpost. "You're not a mind reader now are you?"

Cloud looked at him, stunned…and then turned his head away quickly. "It's to be expected! We're from rival families! I'm a Strife! You're a Leonhart! Isn't it supposed to be?"

"Hmm…last time I checked, you were lower than a commoner. Not a proud member of a non-existent family."

"You-!"

Cloud felt himself being pulled up to his feet, letting out a surprised gasp. Leon was holding him in those muscular arms of his, his hands gripping tightly to Cloud's arms. "I asked you this before Cloud. What are you going to do? All you have left now is useless pride, only a little knowledge, and a body that has some worth. How are you going to protect your little brother and your friend knowing that that is all you have? Answer me that."

Cloud looked down, not wanting to admit defeat but at the same time, not knowing what to do.

"There are many people here who would rather see you dead than alive. There are many more that would go out of their way to kill you even if it meant risking their own lives. How are you going to protect yourself from them? I can't keep protecting you forever if your wilfulness becomes too much of a burden to deal with on top of all the other items on my agenda. What are you going to do to make sure that you, your brother and your friend stay safe? Tell me Cloud."

Cloud gritted his teeth. "What…do you want me to do?"

Leon smirked. "That's better. Would you like to be released?" Cloud nodded his head. "Alright then." Leon took out the dagger that rested on his belt, cutting the ropes that tied his hands together. They fell to the floor in a knotted heap; Cloud brought his arms in front of him, rubbing life back into his thin pale wrists.

"What about my ankles?" Cloud asked quietly, keeping down a growl.

"In a moment," Leon muttered, pulling him towards the bed. The king sat on it, looking up at his prize. "Now…you were out when I announced it, but you're my concubine from now on."

Cloud's eyes widened and he tried to recoil out of Leon's hold, but the warrior king proved to be too strong for the boy. "C-C-CONCUBINE?!" Cloud knew immediately why Leon had said he was less than a commoner. Concubines, despite being well looked after and often given gifts of great expense, they were looked down upon for being immoral by living the life as a servant of pleasure. Cloud preferred living as a gong-farmer or kitchen boy than live like a concubine.

"Yes," Leon nodded his head. "Your sole purpose is to care for my pleasure needs by using your body. Do it right, and you will have a place to sleep, food to eat, and maybe the occasional gift if you do a good job. Also, your brother and your friend will be kept safe. I think that is a very good bargain, don't you?"

"Bastard," Cloud growled, but he knew that there was nothing he could do. His pride got the better of him though. "Do you expect me to lie down and roll over like a dog?!"

Cloud went to slap Leon but the king was faster, grabbing Cloud by the hand and twisting them round, Cloud's back now on the feather down mattress and quilt, Leon leaning over him with lustful clouded eyes.

"You may think that this is too much but right now, it is by far your best choice. If you are anything else in this castle, I can't guarantee your safety or anyone else's." Leon's hand pulled Cloud's tunic up, one hand holding both of Cloud's pinned to the bed. He smirked a little when he saw the pearl-coloured flesh that had a very few ruby marks left from Cloud's previous encounter with the whip, eyeing it as if he were inspecting some piece of art. Cloud looked away, closing his eyes tightly, feeling humiliation and…disturbingly enough…excitement at being seen.

"My my, Cloud. I've hardly touched you and your nipples have become so pert already." Leon tweaked one cherry red nipple painfully, causing a twinge and a pained wince to come out of Cloud's body and mouth. Leon's calloused fingers pinched the cherry-coloured skin, moving his lips down to it and sucking lightly on the hardening skin. Cloud shivered underneath him, hands balling up into fists.

"St-stop it!"

Leon didn't answer him, biting the nipple savagely with his sharp teeth, smirking at hearing the surprised gasp escape from Cloud's lips. The young boy tried to struggle out but Leon pressed his whole frame even closer to the new concubine, preventing the blond from fighting back.

"You bastard! Let me go!" Cloud screeched, struggling with all his might. Leon let go of his nipple but not of his body, those grey-blue eyes looking at him knowingly.

"It looks like I'm going to have to drum into your skull just what you are in this castle and in the eyes of the people that live within its walls," he whispered lowly, his voice smoothly flowing like water trickling over rocky walls. Cloud growled, trying to wriggle away but still being pinned to the bed. He tried to force his legs up, but the board between his ankles made it near impossible as he couldn't aim correctly or move suddenly or else he caused himself more pain and discomfort.

"You want your ankles free?" Another nod from the young blond. "Well work for it."

"What?! And just how do you- hey!"

The young boy jerked, feeling something on his manhood, something that was not meant to be there. And it was rubbing a thumb along the head of the symbol of his gender, making him jerk and yowl at the fiery feeling. He felt his whole body heat up unbearably, yet he was trembling and shuddering under the hot touches and under those cold storm-coloured eyes.

Leon smirked a little. Cloud was flushing a lovely shade of pink, almost as if he was a late blossoming flower, and he was crying out in a sublime voice. The king was glad that he didn't decide to kill the young blond no matter how irritating the boy could be. He never would've thought the Strife family would produce such a beauty from their barbarous loins. Feeling satisfactorily aroused, Leon brought his lips down upon that blossoming coloured skin, licking along it as if it were some delicious sweet, his hand releasing Cloud's fisted ones.

In Cloud's mind, he knew he should take the chance and fight back now but his body was under siege by Leon's scorching tongue and ardent touches, as if he was the dry dusty brown earth being consumed in smoky blazing red flames. He cried out a little, feeling tears sting his eyes, feeling them burn as Leon's tongue continued its descent.

Leon brought his dagger out, cutting the knot that secured both plank and rope together to bind the boy's ankles, dropping the dagger and putting both his hands on Cloud's slim hips. They felt warm to the touch, the cotton trousers being the only offending piece of clothing barring him from seeing the young boy completely. Cloud made a choked sound of a cry and a groan, feeling Leon's lips smirk on the small bit of blond hair that lead down to his shaft.

"No…please…" he begged, finding himself weak in this sort of situation, something he was not at all used to. He felt Leon's nails dig into his fleshy skin, raking against it as they pulled his trousers away and scratched their way down his legs, discarding the article of clothing to the floor. Leon's hands moved back up, hardened palms rubbing along the tough muscle of Cloud's calves and hamstrings before trailing up to the outside of Cloud's thighs. Leon looked down on him, once again inspecting the former prince.

Cloud really did look like the perfect example of what a boy born into nobility should look like. Muscled flesh from years of horse riding and hunting and yet pampered to the extent that he looked almost like the perfect doll for a child. Leon smirked as he eyed Cloud's slightly twitching shaft, seeing it covered with soft blond hairs almost as if to protect it, though not very well. Cloud looked away, snarling a little but unable to fight back because Leon's hands had placed themselves back onto his pale slender hips, trapping him between the bed and the man he hated with a passionate flame.

"What are you looking at?!" Cloud yelled, not liking how Leon was just staring at him, already feeling like he had been raped of his dignity.

"Still being impudent even now I see." Cloud was turned around roughly, though he had managed to kick out at the king, his foot colliding with the man's leg, but it stood firm like the trunk of an old oak tree, unaffected by the act of desperation. Cloud felt one of his arms twisted behind his back, the strong grip of a calloused hand pressing him into the mattress and blankets firmly. The young blond struggled, his whole body wriggling about like the worm Leon had compared him to, determined to free himself. "Take a deep breath," Leon whispered into his neck lowly.

"Huh?! What is that-?!" Cloud never managed to finish his sentence. Something long and hard was shoved right into him, a squeaking gulping hiss escaping from the boy's throat. His eyes stung from the pain he felt, whatever it was inside him just not feeling natural; it was not _meant_ to be _there_! And then it moved…and Cloud finally understood, though his mind was now swarming in a jumbled heap of words and thoughts mixed together with pain. That searing pain caused by the friction of the constant attack and retreat of Leon's hips, from time to time feeling the brunet's sharp chiselled hips touch his firm muscled buttocks. Cloud could only wince and gasp in pain, eyes now like sparkling sapphires from the tears that welled up within them.

"This is your first time," Leon murmured incredulously. "I would've expected that you had some experience of this like any other upstairs boy."

Cloud couldn't think of any logical retort or sentence to reply, only able to howl and screech in pain and grip the fabrics underneath him to somehow dull the pain, though it did very little. The agony he was feeling now was ten times worse than any wound sustained in the battlefield…and ten times more humiliating, stripping any proud warrior of his dignity.

"N-No…" Cloud managed to stammer, his voice hoarse and breath shallow. "No…"

Leon's deep chuckle echoed in his ears, his fiery tongue licking trails up and down Cloud's neck, leaving sticky patterns on the blond's beautiful skin, reminiscent of the glittering trails of a snail's slow-moving journey.

The rhythm of Leon's movements subtly moved faster, causing more pain for Cloud and also for the once small entrance to stretch even wider. At this point, all thoughts of hatred and anguish were out of Cloud's mind; the only thing running in circles in his head was the brutality of what was happening to him and the painful friction that rubbed against his soft and wet insides.

"Please…st-stop…" Cloud begged, pride and dignity forgotten.

Leon ignored him, pressing Cloud down even harder, the sweat clinging onto his forehead as he worked rhythmically into the loosening tunnel of Cloud's body, his mind nearly swimming about in the intensity of the situation and tightness of his latest catch.

"Stop…! Please…! No…!" Cloud screeched, clutching the soft fabrics underneath him tightly, knuckles going white as snow.

"Get used to it Cloud," Leon managed to say between powerful thrusts. "If you want to live…"

Honestly, Cloud would've rather died than live like this. This life Leon offered…was one of continual rape and brutality, with only the goal of making sure his now-superior felt pleasure. He yelped in a strange voice when he felt Leon's teeth bite him on the nape of his neck, and then a sharp grunt breathed against it. What followed afterwards Cloud could not have been prepared for. His insides felt like something had exploded within the sensitive flesh, as if some wave had crashed inside and overwhelmed every part of him, making him gasp at the feeling and then the feeling of being relieved, of something leaving his shaft, took over. His body felt hot and sticky, almost as if something like porridge or hot cake batter and been stuffed into him. Leon pulled out a bit, crushing the smaller man slightly though his arms helped to keep the weight off of Cloud. The blond panted heavily, still in a lot of agony from the violation of his body but refusing to show that Leon had done more than just cause him pain.

"It looks like I was right about keeping you," Leon murmured in a low voice.

Cloud said and did nothing, wanting to screech at him but knowing that he was in no position to fight back. Not when his body ached and felt so heavy. He closed his eyes, the exhaustion from the lack of food, water, sleep and now the intense pain making him unable to do anything but faint.

Leon shook his head, looking at the now motionless body of the captured prince. Truly, Cloud had proven to be quite good, if rough around the edges. But that would change. Eventually Cloud would learn what he should do in the art of sex. For now, Leon was willing to deal with Cloud's resistance.

He picked the limp body up, throwing it over his shoulder, pulling the blankets down and laying Cloud onto the mattress, covering him up and throwing over one of the animal skins that Leon kept underneath his bed in case of cold nights like tonight. He sighed a little, pulling his tunic off and throwing it over the back of one of the chairs, going to the window to stare at the evening mist that was beginning to form on the moors and mires of his kingdom.

* * *

Cloud woke up to the sound of the horseshoes being nailed into the hooves of horses, the delighted shrieking of children, the blacksmith's anvil being hammered by the mallet and the general racket of all the people who lived and worked in the castle. He forced himself to sit up, his lower regions sore from the assault on his body. Leon was no where to be found in the room. Cloud expected it. He was merely a slave that was used for sex now; a toy as such. 

The door opened and Tifa came in, hardly looking upon Cloud. "Did you sleep well last night?"

Cloud felt like Tifa was purposely ignoring the fact that Cloud had been forced against his own will to service her master. He didn't answer her, opting to look out at the window with a wistful look. Tifa just did her work, polishing the decorative arms hanging on the wall, sweeping the ashes into the fireplace and then going into the large wardrobe to check upon the king's clothes. She left something in a folded pile on one of the chairs of the room. "Clothes for you. His majesty has requested that you wear servant's clothes for now. If you appease him enough, he may reward you with finer clothes."

Cloud was still looking out of the window as she turned to him. She sighed. "Listen, Cloud, you can be a stubborn brat all you want but right now, you are lower than your previous title. You are even lower than my position or a kitchen boy's. So please, don't make it any harder on yourself than it already is."

"Did Axel leave?" Cloud asked.

"Why would you-"

"Answer my question…please." Cloud had to swallow his pride, having never asked a servant for something before, only giving orders and making demands when he was a prince.

In that moment, Tifa couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for the boy. He was a stranger to this land and only had three people he could truly trust and he was being separated from them. She felt like maybe it was best if Cloud did know. "Sir Axel did leave with his sister this morning. It's been…a long time since he had been home. The war lasted for several months because Hollow Bastion's forces were being sent out to our own sporadically."

"So Roxas is gone…" Cloud closed his eyes, feeling a pang of hurt and loss in his own heart. The last surviving family member was gone and so far away from him. "He's gone…"

"Yes…"

"And Riku?"

"Currently with Prince Sora. The prince wanted him to spend the night in his quarters so that they could…get used to each other I suppose." Tifa looked away. "The prince doesn't have many friends. His only true friend is the lady Kairi."

"I see…" No, he didn't see. Why was he being tortured like this; being separated from those two, his body raped and his mind chained? Nothing made much sense to him anymore.

"Anyway, the king ordered me to care for you while he is busy dealing with some more pressing matters. Please get out of bed and change…or else I will do it for you." Tifa's voice was tough and firm, showing that she was not making an idle threat under her simple request. Cloud found himself grudgingly complying, not in the mood to be uncooperative. He stood on shaky legs, only barely managing to limp over to his clothes; all the while Tifa's wine-coloured eyes were watching him, unflinching.

"Your body should get used to it eventually," she stated. "All the concubines do."

"All the concubines don't have their enemy as a master though, do they?" Cloud retorted, pulling the trousers on and hiding a wince. "And I'm sure they aren't forcibly raped either."

"You'd be surprised," Tifa stated, returning to her work.

"What makes you so sure of that?"

"You're not the first who's had the privilege of being in the bed of the king," she muttered. "You will probably be the first consistent bed-mate he's had though."

"I don't feel _privileged_," the former prince grumbled dryly. He walked over to the window, watching the moors and the cloudless blue sky. He closed his eyes. He was a prisoner…

But the smallest bit of kindness he had hoped for from his captor was to have a few moments just to say goodbye to his little brother. He was not even granted that.

And to Cloud, that just seemed to weaken the walls that he had tried to build around him. He tightened his hand into a fist, the knuckles turning white from silent rage.

"I will not give in," he muttered to himself. "I will not ever give in to that…that…barbarian!"


	10. Wild

**A/N:** Another chapter for you all!! Something to break up the angst...one hopes.  
_juicy_: I agree with you totally. It annoys me how some slaves just give in merely days after being captured. I hope I can live up to your expectations though.

OK, please enjoy and review! Reviews are my caramel flavoured Snack-a-Jacks big grin!

**

* * *

Wild**, wet and windy. That could best describe the moors as a general rule. However, Axel and his company had the fortune of choosing one of the moors of Radiant Garden's dryer spells. The sun was high in the cloudless blue sky, a sure sign that summer would approach them. Axel grinned. This could only mean good things for the lands he owned and the people and livestock that lived and worked on them. 

"Your 'treat' is quite a glum person," Kairi complained, trotting up to him on Paradise. She had changed to a red tunic and brown trousers in preference over a woman's travelling robe. Axel looked behind him. Roxas had been given his horse back since the young boy didn't want to sit in a wagon. Axel could understand that. But as Kairi had said, he was looking rather miserable, just looking around listlessly. Axel sighed and shook his head, mock-despairing to the heavens.

"What am I going to do with him?" He made Flame walk backwards to the boy. "Kairi, lead the way."

"Alright Axel!" Kairi took the lead, herding the men to travel forwards to their home. Axel rode next to Roxas, looking at him for a moment.

"Why the solemn face?"

Roxas jumped a little, as if waking from a trance. He quickly turned his head. Seeing it was only Axel, he turned back his head.

"Ah, I'm getting the silent treatment now, am I?" Roxas was mute. "So it seems." Axel shook his head, grinning a little. Maybe to have such an icy wall between them would be entertaining to break down. "To what do I deserve such harsh treatment, Roxas?"

"You could've let me say goodbye to Riku…or to my brother."

Ah, that was it. Now Axel had his reason for having a hasty exit. For one, he didn't want to leave his lands unattended to for much longer than he already had. For another, he thought it would be best if Roxas did not speak to Riku. You never know, it could slip out that Riku was the one who spoke of Hollow Bastion's weakness; an angry young boy was not what Axel wanted to deal with. For a third reason, the king had undoubtedly 'punished' Roxas' older brother by now. He didn't want to deal with a heartbroken boy either.

"It's not like you won't ever see them again," Axel reasoned, knowing that it was true to an extent. The silver-haired youth being a personal servant to the prince would mean that he would practically have to follow the energetic brunet wherever he went. The former prince, Cloud, would probably be more difficult. As a concubine, they tended to only be called for when needed, and kept away from the rest of the world when they were not needed. Axel decided it was best to keep this information to himself. "I'm often called for at the castle, and, since you will be my squire, you will have to come with me."

"Why give such a high status to an enemy?"

Axel grinned toothily at him. "That is a secret that you will have to find out, Roxas."

Roxas turned to face him, his sapphire eyes looking at him with great bemusement. The flame-haired warrior laughed, keeping the answers to himself and away from the young boy.

After all, what Roxas didn't know could never harm him.

* * *

Roxas' eyes had widened in amazement when he witnessed the longhouses Axel had spoke of last night, never having seen anything like it.. The longhouses were made of wood, built on a large mound that had a ditch surrounding it. Behind it were fields of solid land that were used for grazing cattle and sheep, dotted around by a few farm houses, one village standing outside of the longhouses while a few more hamlets where dotted around the surrounding lands. 

"This…"

"Aurelias," Axel inserted. "My land."

He looked to him, as if acknowledging some sort of understanding though the uncertainty of what laid ahead was evident in the youth's eyes. Axel gave him a sly wink. "You'll be safe here."

"But I-"

"An enemy prince. I realise that. Trust me; you're far safer here than you are at the castle."

"Why?"

"I can keep an eye on you better."

Roxas puffed his cheeks out childishly, a little enraged that the implication seemed to be that he was far too troublesome. Axel laughed, finding it to be rather…charming to say the least. "Come along now. I'd rather like to get home before the sunsets."

Roxas looked at him, and back to the lands, before nodding his head and following the warrior quietly. _If he even is a warrior_, Roxas had thought. _With all these lands…he could be lord or a duke or a marquise or even just a knight…_

Just what was Axel in this society?

* * *

The youth couldn't stand the silent stares directed at him, feeling awkward and uncomfortable in this strange place. The village they had gone through had been a hive of activity, the women busily dealing with the domestic running of the place while children either helped their mothers or played on the ground. The men that had stayed behind were in the fields, tending to the livestock and the few crops that could grow in what little dry ground they had. But now the bustling had ended to greet their lord and master…and to gawp at what he had brought with him. 

Roxas was beginning to feel very unwelcome here. Could he blame the people for behaving like so? Probably not. He was a stranger and a prize of war.

The silence was broken when the men had come back from the fields, laughing and greeting their fellows and breaking the trance like state the women and children were in. Roxas blinked, surprised that it had only taken the return of the remaining men to change the atmosphere completely. Kairi rode next to him.

"You have to forgive them. They are more used to Axel bringing home a man who's a lot stronger, bigger and older than you," she smiled. "He prefers to choose his prizes from war on account of how well they will serve in the fields. You are the exception."

Roxas blinked again, not sure of what to make of this, but her explanation was backed up by loud hoots and shouts between reunited friends, families, and lovers.

"Sir Axel brings a pretty doll instead of a big bruiser this time mate?"

"Aye. Gave us a fair auld surprise, that 'e did."

"Mama, why isn't he as big as one of the other Trabians Sir Axel brought back?"

"He's not from Trabia, child, though how he will help in the fields is beyond me..."

"Ach, we're bein' replaced by pretty little laddies now!"

"That ain't fair! Years of loyal service and breaking mah back for 'im an' this is how 'e repays us?!"

Kairi shook her head, giving Roxas a sympathetic smile. Roxas looked around, spotting what he assumed were the Trabians. They were a group of very tall, very muscular men that had dirty weather-beaten faces and plaid material wrapped around their shoulder and chest, one bronze brooch to each man, all of them decorated differently so that no two could be mistaken for the other with their wild red to chestnut hair, sparkling blue eyes and heavily bearded faces.

Axel rode up in front, silencing all those who had gathered to greet the conquering heroes, the look on his face serious and grim. The crowd went quiet, some women, men and children looking very distress, and with good reason Roxas finally realised.

These people were the relatives of the dead, who gave their lives for the benefit of Radiant Garden and for the protection of their family and friends they had left behind. Kairi too had fallen mute, bowing her head down as Axel listed the names of those who did not, and would not ever, come back.

Roxas watched him, mesmerized how strong Axel's voice was as he listed those names, though a note of pain might have been detected if Roxas was listening carefully. One woman came up to him, her face tear-stained, asking Axel if it was really true that her lover had been killed in action. Axel could only nod his head, reassuring the poor woman that her man had not died in vain, and that he was brave in the face of the enemy to very last, his voice soothingly calm. The woman tore away, crying. Axel only watched, shaking his head sadly.

Roxas looked over to Kairi, seeing that tears had formed in her eyes. Very tentatively, he whispered, "My lady?"

She looked up, her lavender eyes glowing sadly through the tears. "I hate this bit. Having to tell all those poor people that their men will never come back. I..." She paused. "…I dread the day…that Axel might…not come back…that his name will be on that list instead…" Roxas said nothing. "Don't say anything of it though. Axel will only scold me for worrying. The thing is…he seems to forget he's not immortal." She laughed weakly, as if to try and convince herself not to get so upset. "He's just as bad as the king. His majesty tends to forget that not even he can live forever."

He nodded, understanding what Kairi meant. It also reminded him of the day he had sneaked out to go to battle with Cloud that fateful day. If he had…thought of what would have happened to his people, to his family, even to what he could call 'friends', would the outcome be different? Would he still be at home, under siege from attackers, fearing for Cloud's life if he had not returned like his older two brothers? Would…he never have met Axel?

The answers were not clear to Roxas. What was clear to him was what such an arrogant and selfish person he had been for thinking only of how he could prove himself to everyone. This was his punishment.

* * *

Luxord was a very precise and time-conscious man. Everything had to be carefully calculated before taking a step forward. However, he did often play things by time and chance. Timing things correctly, he got the results he wanted. In short, he was the perfect man for the job of running the household of Aurelias' ruling family. 

And he was also the perfect card player, often beating many courtiers that had visited Sir Axel, with the exception of the young Prince Sora when he came to visit the lady Kairi. He often lost subtly to him, just to humour the usually energetic prince.

However, seeing the sourpuss of a blond youth that Axel had brought home was something the blond manservant would not, in his entire life, have expected. He rubbed his short beard thoughtfully, inspecting the youth, his pierced ears glittering a little in the little light that shone through the windows of the main longhouse.

"What do you make of him?" Axel asked, his feet proper up on the table, leaning back into an oak chair.

Luxord peered a little at the blond before him. "He doesn't really seem fit enough to work in the fields, my lord. What role would he play here?"

"You've always been pestering me to get a squire, haven't you?" Axel smirked lazily, watching with wry amusement. "Here's your answer."

The bearded blond raised his eyebrows in surprise. This whelp was going to be a squire to the king's most trusted knight? He didn't look much. If anything, Luxord would've expected to see him working as a shepherd or as a kitchen boy. A squire? Axel would be the laughing stock of the kingdom if the boy proved himself to be utterly useless. "Are you absolutely sure of this?"

"You doubt my choice?"

"No…well…slightly, if you want me to be honest."

"You don't need to," Axel grinned, getting up and striding over, brushing past the deflated looking soul that had said and done nothing since arriving at the main longhouse. "Though your honesty is appreciated."

"Just raising my concerns, 'tis all." The manservant bowed. "Where shall we place him for now?"

"Take him to the servants' longhouse for now. Make sure he's warmly welcomed by everyone."

"I shall see to it, my lord." Luxord then turned to the still mute boy. "Come along now."

He followed the manservant, despondent, sort of looking back to Axel, though he quickly looked away when Axel gave him lopsided grin. Luxord shook his head.

Truly, this was something he might never have predicted…and Sir Axel was taking a huge gamble with this one.

* * *

The servants' longhouse was nothing what he had expected. It was, however, a hive of activity. Pots were clanging against each other as women went back and forth, there were shouts and hoots of laughter coming from men dressed in Trabian garbs, a few of them doing a small jig accompanied by off-key ditties and tunes. Roxas found himself a little intimidated, especially of the women beating the dust of the animal-skins that usually covered the floor and the wild Trabian workers. Luxord patted his back. 

"Have no fear. You're one of us now."

"That's easy for you to say," Roxas said sullenly, not used to seeing such a busy atmosphere since he had born into a world where there always seemed to be ample enough time to waste.

"Pish-posh," Luxord chuckled. "If we can accept and even somewhat tame Trabian barbarians-"

"Oi!" one Trabian hollered. "We ain't daft!"

"Right you are, chum," Luxord grinned. He then turned back to Roxas. "If we can welcome them into our home, you shall be no problem."

Roxas was not exactly comforted by this. It was at that moment a big motherly looking woman came up to them.

"So is this the bairn we've all been hearin' aboot, Luxord?" she asked, her Trabian accent strong. Roxas had the feeling that this was a woman to be reckoned with. You did something wrong, you had her wrath to deal with.

"Aye," Luxord confirmed. "Treat him well. The master commands it."

"Ah…so another spoil-o'-war, is 'e now?"

"That is correct."

"Well welcome to our humble abode, my lad!" The woman embraced Roxas warmly, shocking the youth, Luxord's amused chuckles ringing lightly in his ears. "Any spoil-o'-war is a friend of ours!"

"That they are!" a man drinking ale whooped.

"Even if 'e ain't a Trabian like us!" another chorused. Screeches of laughter replied to the jovial shouts. The woman shook her head.

"Oh give over ye bunch of drunkards!" she bellowed at them.

"Oh shut it, ye fishwife!"

"Fishwife! I'll give ye a fishwife, laddy!"

Roxas went mute, his eyes wide with fear as the woman stomped over and gave the one who insulted her an earful of shouted words and a whack across the head. Luxord was still laughing quietly, deeply amused by all this. "You will do fine here. Mary has taken a shine to you already. If you are in league with Mary, the rest will soon warm up to you."

"I…see…" Roxas was still unconvinced that he would be 'fine'.

"Oh, and a word of caution," Luxord added, leaning down a little into Roxas' ear. "I suggest keeping your royal heritage under wraps. Trabians can be quite cruel to fallen rulers."

Roxas looked at him. "What…?"

"They respect only strong leaders. Those who have fallen are seen as weak. Oh…and don't mope. They see it as a mark of disrespect to their dead."

"Oh….okay…."

Luxord left…and Roxas was at the mercy of the rowdy Trabians and the rest of Axel's household.

* * *

Axel sighed as he came back from the funeral gathering in the village, taking his tunic off as he entered his room in the main longhouse. All those dead men…the names and numbers of his own men always had been close to his heart as the list grew from that first campaign of Leon's, that conquest over the wild snowy lands of Trabia. He collapsed onto the bed, closing his eyes and thinking deeply of all that happened in the years that Leon had taken a liking to warfare. The widows and fatherless children…the spoils and riches, the good working men that Axel had gained from it. He shook his head. There was nothing wrong with fighting, and Axel would be the first to admit that the adrenaline one felt before battle was something that became very addictive after a few of them, the fear giving way to battle-lust…but it was how it affected everyone else in the aftermath that Axel secretly did not like. Having to deal with distressed widows, women and children was not something he enjoyed, as it sometimes put his own mortality up for his own questioning. 

And the affect it had on his sister, his remaining close family member…it pained him. For what would happen if he should die and leave her to care for the lands? She was still only a child…and men would no doubt come running to her to take advantage of her vulnerable position. Greedy men. Axel hated that the possibility existed.

He sat up, brooding. Such issues always put him into a foul mood. And there was no way in hell that he would leave Kairi, if he should die, alone. Nor was he keen on having to discuss such an issue with her, not doubting that she would take it as an implication of an arranged marriage. Kairi was dead set against such a procedure, which did not help matters at all.

He gave out a frustrated growl, leaning back onto the bed, muttering to himself, "Why do all the women of my family have to be so headstrong?" He brought his mind to nicer things…he thought of Roxas.

He smiled a little. When he first met him, he was just a frightened mouse who had no idea of what to do, where to go or who to trust. Now he had become like a kitten trying to protect himself somehow, untrusting even of Axel who had taken it upon himself to keep safe from those who would've rather seen the young former prince dead. He especially remembered the times when Roxas was asleep. It was the only time Axel could actually touch Roxas without being reprimanded for it. He closed his eyes, remembering how silky those golden blond locks felt between his fingers, how peaceful Roxas' sleeping face looked, and then the eyes…those sapphire-blue eyes. They truly took Axel's breath away. He had never seen such wistful beauty before. But those eyes…they held all the needs and wants of someone who had been practically ignored by all for his entire life, or what he had lived of it.

And it was there, Axel had come to realise, lay his opening. He just had to show Roxas some kindness and affection and soon…Roxas would be able to trust Axel completely.

After all, the little bits of kindness he was offering now to the young boy would surely not to go unnoticed. The young boy had to find trust in people here, even though he was their enemy only a few days ago. If he did not, he would not be able to survive in the first year.

Trabians, Axel had learned, were the kind of people who left those who held onto their prides and refuse help to be alone and help those who asked for their assistance. It was a tough lesson that the whole household and the village had learned the first time they came to this land from their wild homeland.


	11. Charm

**A/N:** I'm happy. I'm really happy. Why? Well, this story has got 166 reviews, nearly 10,000 hits on the first ten chapters alone and 3 C2s. The number of story alerts and favs, I can't remember exactly. So it's all good! Anyways, there was a big demand for Sora and Riku, alongside Cloud and Leon, so I'm giving it to ya!! Enjoy!

_bliss_: I don't think they will. They'll have Mary and Axel to deal with XD

Please enjoy and review! Reviews are my Pop Tarts!

**

* * *

Charm.** Yes. That explained it. The young prince had a lot of childish charm about him with the energetic babble coming out of his mouth, almost like a brook babbling out water. His moves were quick and exaggerated; at points Riku couldn't quite exactly follow what Prince Sora was saying but whenever the young prince laughed at his own joke, Riku couldn't help but smile a little, out of politeness and also because there was something so amiable about the boy that anyone would have to smile at him. 

"You're so silent!" Sora pouted, kneeling on his bed. "You hardly say anything."

"I am just a mere servant, my prince. My opinion of what you say can do very little."

"Well aren't you boring. You're just going to be like the rest of the servants." The prince sighed. "They never really just talk to me. I'm the one having conversations by myself practically with them all."

"Why not talk to the other lords and ladies of the king's court?" Riku asked, only to immediately bow after asking. "Forgive me. It was not my place to ask."

"Don't apologise," Sora smiled. He then sighed again. "They just agree with me and nod their heads. Kairi's good to talk to when she's around, but when she isn't, I get…lonely."

That surprised Riku. Sora was surrounded by loads of people, both from nobility and the servant class. His every need was answered, his want was cared for; the prince shouldn't have been lonely. Riku would've asked why…but his status prohibited him from doing so.

"Oh," Riku said quietly, turning back to his work with the prince's clothes.

"Won't you ask why?"

Riku kept his silence. It wasn't that he didn't care. It was just that servants were never meant to question masters. It was unheard of.

"I'm lonely because everyone just treats me as a prince…not as a person. And then there's also the fact that I get sick often so no one except for a few are allowed to come near me when I am and-"

"You don't have to tell me everything, my prince," Riku interrupted, not looking at him. What he had done was also not expected of a servant. It was best not to look upon Sora now that he had done it. "I was informed of your condition. I understand why you might feel lonely."

The room fell silent. Riku felt eyes on his person, feeling a bit unnerved. Had he offended his new young master? It was foolish to upset him. No doubt he would tell someone, who would inform the king, who would undoubtedly see him punished for committing such a sin. Best to make amends now, before Riku found himself at the other end of the whip. He turned to face Sora, about to bow, but then noticed something that took him aback.

Prince Sora was smiling, as if someone had just given him a gift that he would treasure for ever more. "That's…the first time someone other than my brother has interrupted me."

Riku wasn't quite sure why someone of the young brunet's status would be so happy to be interrupted…but maybe, in Riku's rationalizing of the situation, interrupting the prince helped to make him feel more normal. But just to be sure. "Does it offend you, my prince?"

"Not at all." Sora's smile turned into a grin. "I think I like it. It feels…like I'm being talked to as a normal person, not as a prince."

"I should not have spoken to you in such a manner though, my prince," Riku regurgitated what he had been told by many of the foremost servants in the king's household. "You are born of a high class. I am a mere servant who is privileged to serve un-"

"Don't give me that load of rubbish," Sora interjected, giving the silver-haired youth a neat little pout. "I don't like hearing it."

"I apologise."

The prince frowned, having not liked that response from his new stoic and mysterious servant. This one was no better than Leon, the epitome of stoicism.

"My prince, please get changed," Riku requested, his voice quiet. "I am sure your brother and Lady Edea would scold you if you were walking around in your nightshirt."

"Ah…you have a point there."

Riku gave him a small amused smile, placing clothes in front of the prince before taking steps back towards the door and bowing. Sora gave him a blank stare.

"Where are you going?"

"Outside so to give you privacy, my prince."

"Servants usually help with the dressing though."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Since you're my personal servant, doesn't that mean you have to be with me constantly unless I dismiss you?"

Riku nodded and bowed. "My humblest apologies, my prince. I had not quite realised the importance of my position."

"Hey, hey, all you ever seem to do is apologise," Sora laughed, grinning widely. "If you don't want to look at me naked, you have permission to turn your back to me."

"You are very kind, my prince."

"I get told that a lot." In that instant moment, Sora swept his loose, near translucent white nightshirt, his whole naked body on show. Riku's eyes widened, turning quickly before he could peep at the young boy's body for much longer.

"My prince, might I make a small request?" Riku inquired.

"Yes. What?" The young prince was looking at the back of Riku's silver tresses, it having been tied back with a simple dark leather cord so to keep the luscious locks out of his face.

"Please warn me when you are going to change, so that you can preserve your modesty." The image of Sora's slightly tanned naked body had burned itself into Riku's mind. Slightly defined but very slim, his bones almost pushing against his skin as if he hadn't eaten at all. He daren't remember what was lower down the prince's body, in fear of something within him stirring which could be considered immoral.

One immoral sin was enough for Riku. He did not need two.

"Well…alright…" Sora didn't understand why his new servant was acting like that. But then he came to the conclusion that maybe the silver-haired servant had never stayed in the same room with someone changing. Maybe modesty was a great deal in Hollow Bastion. But then, there was also the case that maybe Riku didn't want to see the extent Sora's constant run-ins with illness had done to his body. The prince frowned, for some reason not liking that.

He threw on the deep blue tunic with red embroidery lining the collar and hem of it, slipping into the black trousers Riku had chosen for him. He looked back over to his servant, whose back was still turned to him. "You can look now Riku."

"My prince…" Riku turned, eyes looking up and down at his work. A small inkling of a smile appeared on his lips, but then it changed back to the usual stoic expression. "I thought they would be befitting of you." He then bowed to him, not noting to look of annoyance on Sora's face. "I believe you have a lesson with Lord Zexion after breakfast."

"Riku."

"Yes, my prince?"

"We're alone. You don't have to be servant-y-polite."

"Servant-y-polite?"

"Yes!" Sora then sighed deeply. "Look, just call me by my name when we're alone. Not by my title. And stop bowing in front of me all the time! It's making me nauseous!"

Riku looked up and blinked dumbly, surprised at the request. "It's expected of me to show the proper manners when in front of such nobility."

"Well I don't like it!" Sora whined childishly, pouting with aplomb and crossing his arms sharply. Riku continued to blink, unsure of how to react to such behaviour.

"My prin-"

"Sora."

"…Sora…I'm not sure if you realise the severity of such a request."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm a servant and a stranger to this land. I had been an enemy. By right, I shouldn't really even be alive, much less be a kitchen servant or a gongfarmer if your king was feeling generous. To be your personal servant is such a high rank being given to one of your former enemies. And so…I must behave appropriately."

Sora's pout intensified. "Then you have two behaviours. The public one and the private one. In this situation, you use the private one in front of me."

"My pr-"

"Call me Sora!"

"…please just come down and get breakfast," Riku sighed, seeing that this was going nowhere. Truly, Sora and Leon really were brothers. They were both as stubborn as the other.

* * *

Sora had duly noted that Leon wasn't joining him today, even after months of absence. He guessed that Leon had important matters to catch up with, having heard from a few whispering servants that the king had locked himself up in his study with only the lord advisor and the manservant for company. He sighed, poking a little at the meat and fruit put in front of him. Riku was standing a little behind him, hands behind his back, posture rigid yet waiting for orders, behaving like a model servant. Sora looked a little behind him. 

"Won't you eat?"

"I believe you already know that servants are not to eat with their masters, my prince."

"But…"

"If you are worried for me, don't be. I will eat later on in the servant's quarters."

Sora honestly didn't see how fair that was. This was, however, odd. Up until now, Sora never really took much notice of the servants who fussed over him and did their jobs, standing silently as they waited for commands. It seemed as if being given Riku had also helped him open his eyes to what he had never truly seen…almost as if being woken up to the reality of his day-today life of being served but never doing something to return the kindness. Riku's expression changed slightly again.

"But thank you for showing concern, my prince. It is much appreciated."

Sora smiled a little, but felt that it wasn't enough. He continued to poke away at his food. A small sigh could be heard from behind him.

"…Sora, you need to eat."

The prince turned sharply, looking at Riku with a surprised look. Riku's eyes went downcast.

"There was no one around…does it displease you that I called you by your name?"

"Ah, no! It's just that you were so insistent in calling me by my title that I didn't expect it!"

Riku nodded his head, a slight tug at the corner of his lips. It then quickly disappeared as he bowed quickly. Sora gave him a baffled look.

"Riku? Why are you bowing?"

"I see you seem to have forgotten about this morning's lessons, my prince," a new voice chuckled dryly, causing Sora to stiffen. Slowly, he turned his head, eyes locking with a pair of wry indigo eyes.

"Zexion! Um, no I did…not…?"

The advisor shook his head, looking over to Riku who kept his distance, understandably. "Does he take your liking, my prince?"

"Yeah! He's really great! He's so helpful!" Sora beamed brightly. Zexion closed his eyes, a sign that something annoyed him.

"My prince, the word is not 'yeah'. It is 'yes'. And please keep your voice down. Not everyone will want to know what you think of your personal servant."

"Oh…" Sora's smile fell, looking very apologetic. He then instantly brightened up. "How's Leon? He didn't come down here this morning."

"The king is busy with other matters. Kiros is helping him right now. Now, if you would follow me please."

Sora nodded his head as Zexion turned, following the steel-haired advisor. Zexion then turned again. "Riku, you are dismissed for now."

"Huh? Why?" Sora asked. "I thought Riku would come with me."

"I do not want you to be distracted, my prince. Riku could provide such distractions from what is expected of you."

"But-"

"My prince," Riku whispered, watching Sora's head turn back to him. "It's fine. Your studies are important. I will find something to do during this time." He then bowed, loose silvery strands of hair falling into his face. "Please excuse me."

Sora was about to protest to this when Zexion took a hold of his shoulder. "Come along now. I hope you haven't been negligent while I have been away." Sora immediately paled at the thought.

He had hardly studied at all while Zexion was gone.

* * *

Riku had found himself doing a few odd jobs while the prince was in lessons, keeping his eyes open for a certain blond. He had heard from a few servants last night that there had been screams of agony coming from the king's room during the night, which alarmed Riku as that meant that his former prince had been violated, and quite savagely at that. He closed his eyes, wishing that he had been executed that day when they were captured. At least, Hollow Bastion might have still been standing and Cloud and Roxas may have been rescued. Though, in his mind, he very much doubted that it would happen while Sephiroth had power and influence over the king. 

"Cloud, I'm not sure if you should…"

"I will walk on my own. I have some pride and dignity left that I want to preserve."

"But you are still hurt."

"I don't care. I am not going to just lie down and do nothing."

Riku turned the corner, seeing that Cloud was striding purposefully down the corridor, being followed closely by Tifa. Riku noticed that there was a limp in Cloud's steps. Cloud looked at Riku, for a long moment not saying anything until he was standing right in front of him. Riku found that his mouth was failing his mind, refusing to open to ask the thousand of questions that were swarming his head.

"Have you nothing to say?" Cloud asked quietly. Even now, when his body had been trespassed, when he was completely under attack because of his new position and the position he had been before, Cloud kept a strong will. He stood tall, uncaring that he was dressed like a mere servant, the fire of his spirit still burning brightly in his sapphire-like eyes. Riku kept his eyes downcast. He had no right to look upon Cloud, he who was though so lowly when he had been entrusted the welfare of this kingdom's current heir.

"Will you…be fine?" Riku managed to force out weakly, though the question was a stupid thing to ask.

"I'll live. But I won't give up," Cloud assured him. "I'll find a way. Just give me time."

Riku closed his eyes. Cloud was already thinking of escape. He had so boldly declared that in front of Tifa, who would undoubtedly report this. He shook his head.

"Cloud…" Riku had paused, thinking it odd that he was now calling the prince he once served by his name. Cloud didn't even bat an eyelid at it. "Cloud…please try not to do something foolish. If not for my sake or for your own…then for Roxas'."

"Don't worry." The way Cloud had said that had done little to comfort him. He brought Riku close to him, whispering into his ear quietly so that Tifa could not hear him. "I'll find a way to get all three of us out. We'll find Sephiroth. We'll take back Hollow Bastion and defeat this barbaric kingdom. And when I find the one who betrayed us, I'll have him personally executed."

Riku's eyes widened, his heart racing with tension and fear. If Cloud…if he ever found out…

He nodded, bowing his head slightly out of habit. "Please don't strain yourself too much, Cloud. Walking for prolonged hours will damage the muscle in your condition."

"Thank you." Cloud went on his way, ignoring Tifa's words of advice and nagging. Riku walked a little forward, his mind and heart still racing. Once finding a vacant room, he rushed in and bolted the door, leaning into it and sliding down, taking deep shuddery breaths to calm himself down.

"If Cloud ever found out that I was the one who betrayed Hollow Bastion…he'll kill me." He put his head into his hands, cradling it as he further tortured himself. "I deserve it. I deserve a thousand deaths for what I have done. But…" He looked up to the bare stone wall, his mind slowly calming and putting his thoughts back together, but his heart would not stop thumping wildly at his chest. "If Cloud escapes and goes back to Sephiroth…he might be killed, or become a pawn in Sephiroth's plans."

At that moment, the fog that surrounded his eldest brother began to thin a little. If Cloud were to go back to Sephiroth, wherever he may be, either the general would declare him a traitor to Hollow Bastion and have him slain on the spot, or, alternatively, welcomed back with open arms and be used like a pawn in a game of chess.

"I cannot let him go back. I can't," Riku murmured, remembering the oath he had made to himself in front of the court of Hollow Bastion. He would protect and advise the young princes, even at the cost of his own life. He just had to.

He would not anyone become pawns under his watch.

* * *

"Checkmate." 

"Wha-?? How did you do that?!"

"My prince, it was a very simple strategy," Zexion laughed at the flabbergasted prince. "Your king was protected by your knight, which was indeed poised to capture my queen. However, you didn't take into account of my pawn next to your king and thus lay your undoing."

"Aww, you're way too good at this," Sora moaned, flicking one of the white pawns.

"Please speak with the proper etiquette, my prince. The phrase is 'you are much too good at chess' and please do not flick at the pieces. We might end up losing them."

"Moan, moan, moan, moan, moan," Sora grumbled childishly, sticking his tongue out at Zexion. The advisor raised an eyebrow.

"Is that how the next possible king should behave, my prince?"

"Well I'm not a king, now am I?" Sora challenged

"But you will be. And thus we expect you to behave accordingly. Your brother would agree to this."

"But he's such a grump! He's been king since _ever_!"

Zexion sighed, shaking his head. To the young prince, Leon had only ever been king but never a child. The brothers were close but as Leon had gotten older, they seemed to have distanced from each other. Now Sora was more interested in hanging onto his childhood, while Leon was more concerned for the welfare of his kingdom which included the education of his current heir.

Zexion had explained that to the young prince thousands of times before, but it never seemed to sink into the boy's mind. "My prince…please try to understand where your brother and I are coming from."

The boy pouted, looking as if he was about to protest, but then sighed. "Fine."

"I thank you for understanding," Zexion smiled slightly. He then stood up, gathering the pieces and placing them back. "You may go now if you so wish."

"Finally! Bye Zexy!"

"It's 'Zexion'."

Sora was gone by the time the advisor had finished correcting him. He sighed and shook his head. "As stubborn as his own brother, but is that really such a good thing," he chuckled dryly, finally placing all their places in their prospective places. He himself then left the library, heading straight for the king's study so to continue to oversee the young man at work.

* * *

Riku had been finding himself just idly walking around, waiting for the prince to come out of his lessons when all of a sudden he felt a heavy weight landing into his back, knocking the wind out of him. 

"Wha-?!"

"Riku! Hide me!"

"My prince? What is the matter?"

"Hide me before Zexion comes back for more lessons!"

Riku shook his head, chuckling. "But my prince, shouldn't you go to lessons?"

"But they're _boring_!"

"And necessary," Riku added, trying to subtly push the young prince off his back. However, Sora had the grip of a monkey; there was no pushing him off. "You are the most immediate heir to Radiant Garden's throne. You should take your lessons seriously."

"But they are _boring_!" Sora reminded his servant. "They're no fun at all!"

"I can see that you are going to be stubborn about this, my prince."

"Then hide me. I order you to!"

Riku sighed. "As you wish…my prince."

"No one's around," Sora muttered. Riku once more shook his head, unbelieving at how persistent this young boy could be.

"Then…as you wish…Sora."


	12. Laborious

**A/N:** Ahhhh, finally. Chapter 12 is right out there after many days of torturing my mind to get it going. Honestly, I think it's all the schoolwork. It's sapped my imagination -bleak look on face- but oh well. We have reviewers to reply to, of the anon variety!

_hollowFAERIE_: Will Zexion find Sora...maybe...who knows? lol  
_bliss_: Yup. The friendship starts -big grin-  
_LoLoChan_: Wow, if you, being one of those 'annoying' people who read but don't review, reviewed, then this must be good -speechless at her own scary ability-

Well, that's all. Please enjoy and review! Reviews are my Cadbury Dairy Milk Bars!!

**

* * *

Laborious.** Leon thought that word best summarised all the paperwork he had to handle, a lot of it he even wondered why no one had sorted it out themselves. For example, the few rabbles of rebellious young men in Trabia that kept picking off a few merchants in the forest. The problem could be easily solved by an armed guard, capturing one or two of these men and then making a public example of them. Leon saw no need for him to get involved. He had more important things to worry about then a few squabbling tribesmen. Matters of state affairs, foreign policy, making sure that all the lands and people he ruled over were in good care, the little fact that he had two former enemies under his roof –just how was he going to tame that unruly blond anyway? –and then there was also having to approve the funds that Kiros and Edea had requested for domestic issues. He had no doubt that included his looming twentieth birthday in the third month of summer. After that, moving from the summer home and into the main castle of Radiant Garden further into the moors would be the next item to worry about. 

"King Zack of Midgar has sent another message to you. Mostly personal, but there is a request for you to come over to Midgar once his child is born," Kiros listed off. The tall darkly coloured man with plaited braids of brown hair was a close friend of Leon's father and mother along with Leon's captain of the guards, Ward. The two elders still remained loyal and close to their late friend's sons, though they often said that it was fortunate that Leon was more like his mother than he was his father. For one, Laguna had been more interested in personal affairs and would never be able to sit through a meeting with the lords. Leon, however, could.

"I'll tell him that I will come, but only when the baby is born…unless there is an emergency," Leon sighed. He too, was good friends with Midgar's king and his wife, the beautiful and kind-hearted Aerith. At this moment, Aerith was with child, their first. Leon remembered sending his congratulatory good wishes…and now six months later, he was still being pestered by Zack with news of the progress and requests to come over. Leon was too busy running campaigns at that time; he needed to focus on battles and getting the bread basket of the land.

"The Dalmascan's are asking for some assistance against the Arcadians," Zexion stated, getting back into the swing of things after returning from educating Sora. "Apparently a peace treaty between the two is being drawn up but the presence of you and our finest might help keep things in order."

"Have we become this world's peacekeepers all of a sudden?" Leon muttered.

"It may be because, since we are an empire that could rival the Arcadian Empire, Dalmasca may feel more secure knowing that we were there to make sure no mishaps occur."

"Alright…since we have good trade links with Dalmasca and I'd hate to lose them. When is the peace treaty expected to be signed?"

"About…" Zexion skimmed through the document, looking for a date. "Two weeks after your birthday. So the household should be thinking of moving to Borealis during that time."

Leon cursed under his breath. "Ashe better be glad that I'm feeling generous."

"I'm sure the Queen will appreciate it."

"Next domestic issue…" Kiros interrupted. "A few issues with some Australis farmers. Livestock not producing enough from what I've heard."

"Not producing enough?"

"They can't fathom what it is that's distressing the herds. They're usually one of our best incomes of produce."

"Send someone to investigate the herds. It could be anything from disease to bad food."

"Right away." The manservant bowed, leaving to find one of the chief castle staff to inform him of the mission ahead. Leon then eyed Zexion, who was shuffling through papers nervously.

"And those?"

"Just a few papers. Not really much to worry about. I'm sure if you make a quick decision…"

"Marriage proposals?"

"…Yes."

"How many?"

"Three."

"Give me them. No. Don't actually. I don't want to know."

"My liege…"

"Oh, give those things to me. Might as well reject them quickly, right?"

"My liege," Zexion nodded, handing over the three documents. Leon skimmed through them, rolling his eyes.

"Yuffie Kisaragi of Wutai. I'm not keen on having a ninja-come-princess running around my castles right now, thank you very much. Nor am I keen on marrying this Eiko child. Seriously, do they take me to getting excited over a six-year-old's body?"

"It's probably for when she is older. Maybe fifteen or sixteen."

"I'll be thirty by then," Leon pointed out. "She would be a child bride regardless." He then turned to the last document, and sighed heavily. "_Her_. Again."

"They must really want you to be her knight if they are continually offering her hand."

"Do you think I have time to be some sorceress' knight on top of running an empire and being on guard from enemies, namely the Arcadians?" Leon questioned rhetorically. He already knew the answer in his heart. There was absolutely no way he was going to marry some woman that his mother's homeland claimed to have some supernatural ability, not at a time like this. Zexion knew this too, but that hardly put a halt to his reasoning.

"My liege, it would not be wise to reject Rinoa of Galbadia as of yet. The Galbadians may take offence to this if you vehemently disagree."

"Vehemently?" Leon questioned, folding his arms across his chest. "I do not let my emotions get the best of me. I am simply pointing out that, as of this moment, I have no interest in marriage."

Zexion sighed. Truly…he was as stubborn as a mule. Very stubborn. "Then I shall reply accordingly."

Leon nodded his head, stretching. "I swear if I see another one of those things again, I might just burn them and throw the ashes into the moors."

"Just why are you so strongly adamant about it, my liege? You will have to face it one day, no matter how much you do not wish to."

Leon didn't speak, looking at the window and out at the clear blue summer sky. "I have my reasons."

"My liege?"

"I have my reasons," Leon repeated, giving him a cold storm-coloured glance that challenged the advisor to ask him again. Zexion wisely decided against it.

"As you wish, my liege."

* * *

Cloud had taken himself down to the stable-yard of the bailey, ignoring the whispers and sharp tongues wagging about him. He could care less at this point. The sooner he got out of here, the sooner these people would get what they deserved. Starting with Tifa, as she was proving to be a pest among pests, not to mention that she showed no concern about the fact that he was higher born than her, or any fear that he might take power back. 

Cloud then realised that this could come at a great advantage to him. He had to keep down a snicker of glee at discovering the revelation.

He walked along the stables, looking at the horses. He wondered if Fenrir was among all these finely kept mounts. No…he hoped she was among them.

"Ah, excuse me!" Cloud turned around, facing a woman with long brown hair that was tied back into a tight ponytail, large glasses sitting on the bridge of her nose. She was wearing just a simple white cotton dress with a dark coloured overdress to act as an apron, said article covered in hay, straw and dirt. "No one other then the stable-hands and the nobles are allowed here!"

Cloud gave her a look that just seeped with refined dignity, watching her imperiously. She seemed to cringe under his gaze. "I am looking for a grey mare that was captured during Leon's campaign against Hollow Bastion."

The woman blinked, as if she had seen the man before her grow another head. "E-Excuse me, but you are a servant. You shouldn't be addressing the king by his given name."

"And I suppose that since I'm actually his concubine, and a former prince, that denies me of knowing whether my horse is here or not," Cloud retorted, getting irritated by how long it seemed to be taking to get what he wanted from these people.

"Ah well-"

"Shera!!"

The woman yelped, looking behind her quickly. "Coming! Coming!"

"These horses don't feed themselves y'know! And nor do our stomachs if you slack off!"

"Y-yes!"

Cloud blinked, watching the woman scuttle away busily back to her work and another person, this time a tall blond man that had a short wooden pipe in his mouth, roughly shaven, and with old clothes that had seen far better days. He looked at the newcomer with fierce greying blue eyes, his face in a grumpy frown. "What're you doing here?"

"I am free to go as I please," Cloud spat, unafraid of this man. The man didn't seem to care.

"Maybe the stables suit you better since these horses are more highly valued than you, a bastard concubine," the man lashed back snidely.

"The stables suit _you_ perfectly with your dirty looks and crude speech," Cloud countered. "Horses don't care for such uncouth people."

The man couldn't help but smirk at that. "So you noticed." He then took his pipe out and let out a waft of wispy grey smoke from his mouth, bumping past Cloud.

"Do you not have any manners?" Cloud questioned.

"No. Not like horses need to be asked to do anything," the man grumbled.

"Well, could you kindly tell me if a grey mare that came during Leon's campaign is being stabled here?" Cloud asked, barely gritting his teeth.

"Hmmmm…that one was a good horse so we wouldn't have had it slaughtered for meat." Cloud's eyes widened at that. These people ate _horses_?! "Probably at the end. The king took a liking to it so it's probably with old Griever."

"Griever?"

"The king's prized horse."

"Oh…the black stallion."

"That's the one."

Cloud walked further into the stables, looking from horse to horse, trying to find his grey mare or the king's black stallion. The blond man watched him, smoking his pipe still, greying eyes crinkling up in amusement. Cloud mentally noted to himself that this annoying man would now replace Tifa's standing on his list of people he was going to enjoy killing off. This one was far more infuriating.

"You just went past your girl."

"My what?"

"The horse you were looking for," the man smirked. Cloud turned to his left, seeing the familiar grey face of Fenrir. At once, Cloud was overjoyed, walking over to her and speaking softly to the calm, if not slightly spooked, mare. The man still watched, raising his brows at the sudden calmness of the boy when dealing with one of the best horses his king's army had managed to capture. He then turned…and bowed when he saw his lord and master coming towards him.

"You're dismissed," the king whispered. "Go elsewhere for now Cid."

"Highness," Cid muttered, taking his leave. Leon now took his place, watching the gentleness Cloud was showing to his old horse. He couldn't help but have a small ghost of a smile cross his features but it had vanished from sight as fast as it had appeared. Careful not to make a sound, he padded over to the blond concubine, smirking silently to himself as he successfully got close enough.

Cloud felt the hair at the nape of his neck prickle, feeling a presence that was all too familiar now. He turned swiftly, finding himself looking eye to eye at the very man who had captured him. His face contorted into a snarl. "What do you want?"

"Should you really be talking to me like that, Cloud?"

"I might belong to you physically, but I will never accept you," Cloud growled. "I will not let myself be controlled by someone like you."

"And there is that obstinate spirit of yours again," Leon chuckled dryly.

"What do you want?" Cloud asked again, his teeth gritting against each other. Leon closed the gap between them, putting both his hands on either side of Cloud's head, staring at him right in the eye.

"I think you know what I want."

Cloud turned his head defiantly, so that he couldn't look into those piercing stormy eyes. "I don't feel like giving you what you want."

"You don't have much choice in the matter Cloud," Leon whispered in a hoarse breath, leaning his head over Cloud's pale neck. "You belong to me. Not the other way round. Nor are we equals."

Cloud clamped his eyes shut, forcing down a shiver that threatened to erupt. His eyes snapped open when he felt something hot and wet on his neck, and then yelped sharply when a spot on the soft near-white skin of his neck was nipped roughly. He felt a smirk curl on his neck from the lips of his captor and tormenter, and then another brusque bite attacking the same spot.

"Get off of me! I'm not your meal!"

"Hmmm…that's an interesting way of putting it."

Cloud immediately wished he could take what he had said back as he felt Leon bite at him, each bite more savage and coarse than the next. Fenrir sensed her master's distress and started whinnying in response. Leon pulled away, giving a glare to the mare.

"She may be one of the best we caught in our battle but she has become a rather big annoyance."

"You will not touch her," Cloud growled.

"Giving orders now are we?"

Cloud looked at him, glaring at him with incensed glowing sapphires for eyes. "I swear to you, if you take a step too far-"

"May I remind you that you are not in any position to be ordering me around?" Leon quirked an eyebrow, a slow cunning smirk spreading across his face. "Does a horse mean more to you than your own life?"

"It's not that, but I won't allow you to damage something that doesn't belong to you."

"Again, do I need to remind you that everything about you belongs to me now?" Leon pressed his muscular tanned body closer, eyes narrowed into greyish slits. "You are mine. And my possessions don't dare question me."

At that moment, Cloud had no time to think through the consequences of his actions, but it happened in a blur that he barely had time to register what he was doing. All he could see that his arm had jerked into a different position, protectively shielding his chest while the king's face had been pushed forcibly in the same direction, storm blue-grey eyes blinking in surprise, a throbbing red mark appearing on his tanned face. Then that look of surprise turned into one of his cruel looks again.

"You know, I could have you punished for this." He turned to look at Cloud, his grey eyes having a near maniacal look within them. The blond didn't seem to care, but Leon had a canny ability to smell fear in people. "There has only been one person, in my whole entire life that has ever marked my face in a battle." He then tapped his scar. "He was spared from a harsh punishment because of his position in court."

"Am I supposed to be afraid?" Cloud sneered. Leon leaned forward again, his mouth near to the shell of Cloud's ear. Cloud screwed his eyes shut again, preparing himself for another rape at the hands of the barbaric king.

"The man who has your brother was the one who left this scar on my face."

Cloud's eyes snapped open at that, in disbelief that it hadn't been some enemy who could overpower the king, but one of his own men.

"Shocking, isn't it? One of my own had done the damage, and yet he's the very man I trust with my life. Ironic, don't you think?"

Cloud struggled against him. "I don't see why you are telling me this? Is this to make me afraid of you? Are you going to tell me that that man is the only one who ever hurt you and got away with it? Are you telling me that I can expect a worse punishment for-" He gave out a strangled cry when he felt one of Leon's rough calloused hands slid down and gripped his cock, giving it a short and sharp squeeze.

"I'm simply telling you that if you want to escape punishment that can go as far as a death sentence for a person of your rank, it would be advisable to do as I say."

Cloud closed his eyes again tightly, knowing that it was true…but pride once again got in the way. "Get off of me…"

"Are you willing to risk it? Don't you care about what could happen to your brother and your friend?" Leon licked along the shell of Cloud's ear, smirking as the younger blond quivered underneath him, his hand still rubbing, stroking and harshly squeezing along the blond's stiffening organ. "There's only so much I can do. Your friend might have already established himself as an example of a good servant, but your brother is far away from here, under another's command. His people might not take kindly to him if it was discovered that your brother was from the royal family of the kingdom that killed many of their men."

The blond captive realised that he couldn't win this fight. If he were to fight on, it seemed clear that he would do no favours to the two he had been captured with. What's more, Leon was implying that Roxas was in more danger than even Cloud had suspected. At least here he had the king's protection from those who would rather see him dead than alive.

"What do you want from me?" Cloud forced himself to ask. He felt Leon's lips unravel into another sly smirk on his skin.

"Good boy." Leon continued to lick along Cloud's earlobe, giving it a jagged bite just to hear the young blond grunt and feel him squirm. "Come with me."

The blond didn't move, his hands curled into shaking fists. The king took matters into his own hands, picking the boy up by the waist and throwing him over his shoulder. The blond hung there like a rag doll, not fighting or screeching like Leon had expected him to.

All it took was a few words about Cloud's brother and the former prince was reduced to being a simple thoughtless toy. The king took note of it. The questionable safety of the younger brother was obviously his concubine's Achilles' heel.

The king threw the concubine down into the hay after a moment's walk, seeing the look of shock pass through Cloud's eyes briefly. Leon smirked, leaning over him completely. "I think you know what this means, don't you?" He watched the blond's gaze avert elsewhere. He knew alright. And from the defeated yet determined look, Leon could tell that this was just one of many battles that he would have to fight with Cloud. He may have won this battle, but the war was yet to be won on either side.

Leon's hand pulled down Cloud's trousers, smirking at the stiff organ from all the previous attention he had bestowed upon it. Cloud refused to even look at him, even though his body was facing him.

"If you don't want this to hurt, spread your legs and lift," Leon murmured, making no move just yet. As expected, the blond was hesitant, but slowly did so, a look of pure hatred on his face. Leon smirked, taking his own very rigid length and ramming it into Cloud, watching the hatred turn into pain, though the blond bared his teeth and hissed to keep down the screaming. The king leant down against Cloud, whispering his praises, though they meant nothing to the blond as he hissed and grunted at each powerful thrust into him.

His list had changed once more. Leon was now top on his list of the people he would have killed for his own entertainment.


	13. Tired

**A/N:** Now annoyed. I had my review replies all sorted out and then the system logs me out. ARGH!!!!!

So, I'll just thank everyone for reviewing this time, because right now I'm in a rush and can't stay for long. THANK YOU! COOKIES TO YOU!

However, one reviewer has made me just want to say this: I am completely and utterly open to constructive criticism but please, at least read up to the very latest update! There is nothing I hate more than a person who makes a snapshot judgement after only reading the first four chapters, where you only see a mere inkling of, in this case, characterization. It is annoying and frustrating as it does nothing for me as I would've gone too far along the line to retrace my steps and change things. Also, please note of the situations and how a character is going to react to it. The 'bastardization' of Leon is a reaction to war and captives. Cloud's pride is a typical reaction any noble worth his salt would give. From these, the characterization can and WILL change. That's the nature of this story. It's about how much a person can change because of circumstances put in front of them. Remember that now.

Anyways, all that said and done, thank you again, and please enjoy! I would love reviews! They are my tiramasu!

* * *

"**Tired**…" Roxas grumbled, as he collapsed onto the cool grass, wooden sword dropping out of his hand. The post he had been hitting at stood resolute, a few dings in its smooth and shiny surface. Axel stood above him, looking very amused. 

"How on earth did you survive that battle, hmmm?" Axel enquired jovially. "If you complained about being tired now, you're not going to survive in any fight."

"I wasn't bashing at an 'enemy' for hours on end," Roxas countered, panting a bit. "I was giving orders for a long while."

Axel shook his head and chuckled. "Well, at least you know how to give orders, huh?"

Roxas nodded his head, watching the angular face that belonged to the redhead. He had forgone the heavy eyeliner, instead opting for just two thin lines around his eyes but his tattoos were what interested the boy the most. How had Axel come to receive them? If anything, they looked more like they had been burnt onto his face rather than inked and needled into his flesh. Axel gave him a lopsided grin.

"We'll take a break, and then archery."

Roxas groaned. He loathed the sport with a passion. He was no good with aiming; he just swung his weapon and hoped for the best. Axel had made sure that Roxas wasn't just aimlessly waving his wooden sword about haphazardly as he pointed out that such "reckless methods" would be the death of his own men should he ever be in a fight. No doubt the flame-haired warrior had some criticism for the blond and his shooting.

"Hey, groaning is not allowed," Axel reminded him jokingly, picking the young boy up to his feet. He then growled playfully, "You're going to do it, and you are going to enjoy it even if you are in pain."

Roxas looked up at him fearfully…and then realised that Axel was only jesting with him. He gave Axel a large disapproving pout. "You jest with me way too much to be considered healthy."

"Your reactions are so amusing though."

Roxas huffed in reply, not finding jokes at his own expense very amusing at all. At the same time though, he was frustrated that he seemed to know less than he should do about his 'host', and yet Axel seemed to have found out more about him and was even starting to know Roxas better than he did. Truly, Roxas was finding it difficult to solve the enigma that was Axel.

"Right…better get the archery practice prepared," Axel groaned as he stretched his back out. "You just take a breather for the moment."

Roxas watched the red haired man leave, still questioning why this man, who Roxas had no idea what he was to this kingdom and who was enwrapped in mystery, was treating him so kindly and yet was so eager to train him.

"Just what do you plan on doing with me…"

* * *

An arrow cut through the air like a hot knife through butter, letting out a whirring screech as it landed centimetres away from its target, scarring the two dogs that had taken respite there. The two angry canines growled at the archer before moving away to a safer resting spot near to the longhouse, tails between their legs. Axel laughed a bit. 

"Try not to shoot my dogs."

Roxas gave him a glare, and tried again. The arrow flew true…but it had soared over the target and landed a good foot or two away. Roxas sighed in frustration. The best archers back in Hollow Bastion despaired of their young prince, claiming it would be a miracle if he didn't even kill one of his own men with his lousy aim. At least with a sword he could kill someone.

"You really have no sense of aim, do you?" Axel shook his head, standing at Roxas' side. He then put his hand over Roxas' bow hand, ignoring the short gasp of surprise at the touch. He pulled the bow up with Roxas' smaller, softer hand and with his other drew out a red feather fletched arrow, taking Roxas' free hand and steady to arrow onto the bow. "Alright…now learn from this." He pulled back the string, making sure Roxas' fingers were hooking the string and pulling it to rest near to his cheek. The blond underneath his battle hardened hands tensed noticeably. "Relax…the bow string won't touch you."

How little did he know that it wasn't the bow string Roxas feared; the boy feared that his new 'master' was actually teaching him in a rather unconventional way.

But then again, unconventionality seemed to fit to Axel like a glove would fit on his own hand.

Axel held onto both the young boy's hand and the string tightly, moving the bow slightly as he aimed for the centre of the target. He didn't let fly the arrow, keeping it steady.

"Hold it here Roxas," Axel instructed, loosening his hold very slightly. "Keep it steady."

The young blond gulped, his body shaking a bit from the strain and the added tension on feeling the warmth radiating from Axel seeping into his back and his warm hands lightly brushing against the coolness of his own. Axel leant in a bit, whispering into his ear, "Relax. It will fly much smoother if you stay calm."

Roxas was about to demand just how on Hyne's green earth was he going to be able to relax in this situation when he felt Axel's hands releasing Roxas', subsequently ending up with Roxas letting go of the bow string and watching the arrow skim in the air like a swallow, hitting the target in the dead centre of it. Roxas' eyes widened in disbelief as he watched the feathers playfully wave at him, as if congratulating him for finally hitting the target. Axel chuckled behind him, ruffling his hair.

"Good boy."

Roxas was still staring at the arrow, in disbelief that he had even managed such a feat after being so many times just how awful his aim was. He looked a little over to Axel, almost questioning the fact that he had even done this. Axel gave him a little smile. "I was no good at archery when I was your age. I had a good teacher though."

"Who was your teacher?" Roxas blurted out without thinking, impatient to know more about this elusive man. Axel didn't seem to be taken aback by it, patting Roxas' shoulder.

"You'll know some day."

Roxas was desperate to know _now_. He gave him a meaningful look, which only earned him another small laugh of amusement. A young woman now came to them, who Roxas recognized as the woman who had approached Axel days before when he was reading out the list of the dead. She wouldn't even look upon Roxas, settling two beakers of water for the two and then bowing and leaving. Not once was Roxas able to see her eyes. She kept them away from the young boy's sight. Axel sighed, shaking his head.

"I apologise. You may be subject to that kind of behaviour," Axel warned him.

"But why?"

"Because you're from Hollow Bastion, the very people who killed many of my men."

"Then if I'm going to be such a trouble to have, why keep me here?"

"Because you're safer here then you are out there." He looked over to Roxas, an unreadable expression in his emerald-coloured eyes. Roxas could barely tell that Axel was obviously troubled at what could happen if the blond was not here. "I'm not sure the king would find much use with you…to be perfectly honest…" Roxas detected some pain in those words, as if they were sharp daggers piercing Axel's flesh and then being twisted so much that he would bleed to a point where Axel might never recover, or even survive the injuries.

For that moment, Roxas was really truly beginning to wonder how Axel viewed him; as a prize that could be trained for his own purposes…or as something a little deeper than that? All he knew was…he was not going to find out the answer from Axel, who had kept his lips firmly locked, keeping all the treasured secrets of his heart and mind within his being.

* * *

That night, Roxas found himself in a bed in the main longhouse. He had rather gone back to Mary and everyone else in the servants' longhouse as they had become like his extended family, always laughing, joking, dancing, playing even singing…though mostly very badly. The quietness of the main longhouse, where Axel, his sister and a few of the most important servants in the household lived it, was somewhat…unnerving, almost like his old home. There was usually no life in the corridors of the castle keep he had once lived in. Hardly a few servants came by and Cloud was the only consistent visitor. He sat in bed, only having a woollen nightshirt over his small frame, thinking, the only light was coming from the candles by his bedside. He jumped out of his trance when he heard a light tapping on his door. "Ah! Come in." 

Axel stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. "I came to check up on you. Is the room alright?"

"It's fine. Thank you."

Axel smiled, taking a seat on a lone wooden chair that had been placed near the window, watching him. Roxas' hands fidgeted a little, wondering what this man was thinking or planning to do. "Is there a problem, Axel?"

"None. It's just that this is probably a bit unnerving for you being away from Mary and the rest of the other servants, right?"

"Just a little…but please, don't worry about me. I shall be alright."

"When you say that, you worry me even more," Axel chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Your words don't agree with your body language."

"Am I so easy to read?"

"You are."

Then why could Roxas not understand Axel? Why was Axel the only one who could read him like some text of literature and enjoy it, while he felt like he was looking at a bunch of foreign words that could not make sense to him? Axel gave him an amused quirk of his lips, as if seeing the exact feelings Roxas was going through. "Anything you would like to ask me about your new life?"

Roxas was going to ask what Axel was going to do to him, but then changed his mind. He could see Axel's marks under his eyes in the candlelight. He wanted to know how he had received them.

"The marks under your eyes…"

"You want to hear how I got them?"

"I do."

"I'll tell you a story then."

"Don't treat me like a child."

"You may find it interesting…" Axel smiled, pulling his seat up to the bed and looking at Roxas intently, watching the young blond look at him curiously. "This is how I received my marks…"

_I was only about eight when I was sent to be a pageboy in the royal court at my father's instruction. It had been two years after our old king, Laguna of Radiant Garden, and his wife, Raine of Galbadia, had been murdered. Our king was seven and learning the laws and governing of our kingdom and how he should uphold them so that he would not rely upon the regent and the advisors so much. However, the young king wanted to learn how to fight, but as he was of royal birth, he could not take the path of a knight. Instead, they had used me instead, to act as his page and train along with him as I learned how to fight and behave like a knight. I still remember our first meeting._

_I had been brought before him as he was finishing his lesson with one of his advisors. He came across as a diligent worker, as if he was obsessed with becoming strong enough to be a leader of some merit. I guess it had been the death of his parents that had made him like this. They did say that he had witnessed his parents' murders. Anyone would go mad at the thought of avenging their own parents. Anyway, the first thing he said about me…well, demanded…was who I was and why was I there before him. The next thing he said was that I had weird hair. I, in my youthful ignorance, countered by saying he was a dwarf compared to me. I was soundly beaten for my insolence. The king was given a severe scolding._

_We trained together, learning the art of warfare side by side. Soon, we became as close as brothers, though the rest of the world saw us as a king and his squire. I followed wherever he went; he revealed and told all about what troubled him and all the most important things he kept close to his heart. Then, he became fifteen, and I sixteen._

_During one fateful fight, I went too far. I slashed at his face and caused an injury. I was immediately taken down by his guards, and there was talk that I would hang for it. The king came to the rescue though, stating that the only punishment I would get was the one that fit the crime best, and that was not hanging. Instead, the marks you see on my face are my punishment. I was burnt with pokers._

**Did it hurt?**

_Did it hurt? Yes, it did. It was truly painful. I screamed for hours at the sensation of my skin sizzling and burning against the red hot iron. But it was a just punishment. The king knew that I could not go unpunished as it would set a bad example to the rest of the kingdom, but nor could he allow me to be hanged as it would look like he was cruel to his own people. He apologised to me after all was said and done, but he also told me that as I was the only person who had even managed to get a single scratch on him, I was the one he could entrust his life with. For that, I no longer considered my marks as a punishment, but as a sign of respect._

_Two years later, I was knighted by the king. We were just moments away from entering our first campaign, an intention to conquer the wild snowy mountains of Trabia. It was a solemn affair, make no mistake of that, but the king did one last thing before I finished my vow._

**What?**

_He punched me across the face with a smile. It was the first time I had seen it when it was not for his younger brother or for his nurse. He told me that I had better remember that vow, because I would be the only knight that he would mark out from the rest._

* * *

"So…that means…?" 

"I am the king's most trusted knight, and my marks are a symbol of that."

Roxas looked at Axel for a good long while, amazed that such marks that were meant for punishment were now thought highly of. Axel looked rather proud that he had them, even though they had scarred his face for life.

"So…you don't mind having them?"

"No."

Roxas fidgeted a little, looking at his hands as he mumbled, "Can I…touch them?"

"If you wish," Axel smiled, giving Roxas the time and space to do so. The young blond tentatively reached out to them with one hand, his fingers brushing along one mark, feeling the cracked yet repaired skin underneath his fingertips. He didn't know what he felt at that time. Maybe it was confusion to how two marks scarring his face could hold such pride when they were meant for punishment. Maybe it was some sort of understanding of just who Axel was, even if it was only a tiny portion of what he really was. What he did know was that, for some reason, it was comforting touching Axel like this, and being close to him. He pulled his hands away, looking at Axel, who had been watching him the whole time.

"I'll let you sleep," Axel whispered. "I think I've prolonged my stay a bit." He then stood up, smiling down at the young blond. "Good night." He leant down and kissed his forehead lightly, making Roxas' eyes widen in surprise and his cheeks go a dusty shade of scarlet. "Pleasant dreams." He walked away, knowing in his heart he may have taken a step too far but he couldn't help it. The young blond looked so unsure and adorable that Axel just wanted to assure him, though he had a feeling he had just sent the poor boy into confusion. Oh well, all in due time.

Roxas' heart beat a thousand times harder in his chest, his rid cage now feeling like a drum as his beating heart echoed among the bones in a muffled sound. His cheeks had gone completely red, feeling like they were on fire, and his mind was racing. Axel had kissed him. On the forehead, yes, but still…not even Cloud had been so affectionate to him, and the two brothers were close. Slowly…a small smile graced his features, curling up his body as he thought about it. How on earth did one simple action make him feel this way? He didn't know…but he wanted to find out. He was going to find out.

* * *

Cloud sighed that night, exhausted from being entered continually by the king this evening. The king seemed a bit…frustrated, maybe even slightly despairing of something judging by his movements and the lack of cruel words, as if he was deep in thought and the blond concubine was just a means of distracting himself. He turned his head to look upon the sleeping naked form of Leon, still in amazement that such a pitiless person could have such a peaceful look on his face. Cloud almost felt compassion for him seeing him like this. He closed his eyes and turned away, angrily reminding himself that this was the man that killed his father and his brothers, conquered his kingdom and made him and his brother and friend slaves. He would not feel merciful to him. 

All in due time, Cloud had thought. King Leon would soon be getting his just desserts. He just needed to perfect moment to strike like a viper and take control. The lion would fall. The wolf -as many of the castle staff and courtiers had taken to calling him- would rise.


	14. Poison

**A/N:** Well...I think we all needed a bit of a turn around in one couple's relationship. So... Here's our miracle move! (One might think that...)

_bliss_: Another good piece of feedback about the story behind Axel and Leon's scars. And blushing Roxas is love XD  
_Someone of no importance_: I'm really glad that you liked the chapter, and the rest of the story. Hope you enjoy the rest!  
_Lokki Abumi_: Tiramisu- a tasty cakey dessert that is usually coffee flavoured and tastes SUBLIME! lol But the cupcake pyramid is just as good! -devours the pyramid-  
_hollowFAERIE_: Mmhm. Weird reasoning, but hey, better be proud of the marks rather than be reminded of what you had done in shame forever.

Please enjoy! Read and review! Reviews are my Lindtt Golden Easter Bunnies -finds Easter Bunny ears and bounces around in them-!

* * *

"**Poison**! There's a killer in the castle!"

The scream had made Leon look up from his work, at once fearing the worst had happened to his younger brother. As Sora was frail despite his energetic nature, the king had always worried for him the most. If Sora even grazed his knee the older Leonhart was sent into a panic. Faster than Zexion could even go and question what was going on, Leon went flying out the room, bumping into Tifa who was just about to enter the king's study herself.

"Your highness! There's been a poisoning!"

"Is Sora alright?!" Leon demanded, grabbing her by the shoulders and looking at her wildly in the eyes, signs of fear in those usually cold and emotionless stormy blue-grey eyes. "Is the prince fine?!"

"The prince is safe! It's Cloud! Cloud's poisoned!"

"What?!" Leon charged past her, heading straight for his bedchamber where he had last left the blond, heart pounding like it usually would in the battlefield, all thoughts flown to the wind in a panic-stricken manner. Servants and courtiers stepped quickly out of the way and he even went past Sora who had come to inspect what was going on, Riku not far behind him. He even went past Edea who had demanded to know what the ruckus was about.

He slammed the door open, seeing terrified servants trying to solve the problem. And in the middle of it all was Cloud, vomiting and retching, paler than usual and finding it difficult to breathe, lying face first on the bed, head leaning over the bedside. A goblet was lying on its side on the floor, its murderous contents spilt all across the rushes.

"What is going on?!" Leon bellowed, making the servants gasp and shriek in surprise, all of them stopping what they had been doing. Cloud continued what he was doing, not even noticing Leon being in the room.

"We don't know! He was fine just a few minutes ago and then he started gagging when he had a sip!"

"Does Vexen know of this?!"

"We have sent for him, your highness!"

"Then what are you standing around for?! Make sure he's comfortable!"

The servants went back to what they were doing, trying to calm the wretchedly ill concubine but to no avail. Leon eventually had enough of standing around himself and came over, holding the blond up so that he wouldn't fall. At that moment, Vexen and Zexion came in, the medic having antidotes at hand. Zexion picked up the goblet from the floor, moving calmly among the flurry of frantic hands trying to save the poor blond's life. He took a sniff…and recognised the pungent smell of wolfsbane and the sickly sweet aftertaste of foxglove.

"What is it Zexion?" Leon asked immediately. Zexion's sense of smell was incredible, even more so than Vexen's. It may have had something to do with Zexion having been trained in botany so that he could always double check his lord's meals for poison. Zexion turned and bowed to the king, but his expression was serious.

"It is a mixture of wolfsbane and foxglove. Both have lethal poisons."

"Is there an antidote?"

"Yes," Vexen confirmed, bringing out a flask with a colourless liquid contained within it. "Fortunately, the same antidote can neutralise the two poisons."

The medic came to the blond, pulling the stopper off and pressing it to his lips. "Please. Drink." The blond seemed unable to, only pulling his head away and vomiting again. Leon kept a tight hold on him, pulling him back.

"Give that to me," Leon snapped irritably, fired up by the fact someone had the gall to poison one of _his_ possessions. He was going to have the scum hanged once he ratted him out! No, he was going to have the scum hanged till he was half dead, drawn from the summer home near Aurelias to the main castle at Borealis and then quartered in Borealis Town Market Square. After that, he was going to have the remains left in a bog so that the earth could swallow it down but never allow it to return to the Paradise. By Hyne, he swore this.

But now was not the time to have such murderous thoughts, Leon managed to rationalise. He took the flask and pressed it to Cloud's lips. Again, the blond's lips proved to be immobile…or the blond was refusing to be helped. "Drink it," Leon ordered, his voice sounding strained between anger at the crime and irritation at the concubine's attitude.

"Is this how you plan to kill me?" Cloud finally managed to croak quietly. His throat was numb, his body felt weak, his stomach felt like it had eaten itself and he felt so incredibly cold. So this was what it was like to die…

Leon's eyes, once cold squalls of blue-grey, now turned into infuriated orbs of the colour of hurricanes. "I am not going to let you die!" He swigged the flask, getting shocked gasps and cries of 'my liege!', forcing Cloud's mouth to open and then pressing his own mouth firmly over it, releasing the antidote inside into the stubborn blond's mouth, much like a mother bird would empty her beak of food for her shrilling hatchlings. The two tastes of poison and antidote mixed, leaving a bitter tang in both of their mouths. The room went oddly silent…and Cloud swore he felt something similar to a tongue had brushed against his own. He screwed his eyes shut, unable to fight back because the poison had drained so much of his strength away.

Leon pulled back once satisfied that Cloud had swallowed every last drop, watching the blond still a bit. He was unconscious, but breathing. For Leon, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him, but that was soon replaced by sheer anger. He was going to have this poisoner punished. Severely. "…I'm not letting you die…"

"My liege?" Zexion ventured tentatively.

"I want whoever is responsible for this dead," Leon growled, his voice sounding feral. "I'll seek him out myself if I have to."

Zexion was astounded by the sheer venom in the king's words. He was astounded that what caused such a reaction was this blond who was now lying limply, only a week or so ago an enemy of Radiant Garden. What's more, Leon was even willing to a kill someone just for this person.

Truly, what had happened to his king to cause such a dramatic change?

* * *

Cloud stirred, hearing the sound of liquid sloshing in a bowl and then feeling something cold and wet being pressed to his fevered face. His eyes struggled to open, seeing blurry shapes and shadows. He felt a cooling hand rest against his forehead, soothingly calm and light.

"Rest Cloud," a soft familiar voice whispered. "You've had a traumatic time."

"Riku?" he croaked.

"Yes," the boy replied.

"What about…Leon's brother?"

"The prince is in the middle of a lesson with one of the other castle advisors. The king and Lady Edea didn't want him to use the excuse of this morning's…event to not study for the day."

"And…Tifa?" For once, Cloud was actually hoping to hear the somewhat bossy head maid's voice. It would have reminded him that he was alive…and she was the first to react when she noticed something was very wrong with the blond.

"Went to the servant's quarters to recuperate. She…no, everyone, they were shocked. They didn't expect it." Riku went very quiet for a moment. "Sora…was deeply upset by it."

Cloud turned his head a bit. "They needn't be. It…was to be expected."

"You…expected something like this would happen?"

"I'm a former prince. An enemy. By right, I should be dead." He closed his sapphire eyes. How could he have been so stupid? Of course he should be dead. What made him think he could live forever? He wasn't a god. He wasn't even an angel that could live for eternity. He was mortal, a human who's life was determined by Fate, Chance and the will of Hyne. Maybe…this was is punishment for having _hubris_. To die because of his arrogance…that seemed fitting.

"The king refused it though."

"I know."

"He's searching for your poisoner now."

"He's being…what?" Cloud turned his head sharply to Riku. "What?"

"He's searching for the one who poisoned you. He's leaving no rock unturned and no bush undisturbed. He's not leaving one person unquestioned and is even going as far as rewarding anyone who can lead him to the man he wants."

"What…" Cloud spoke again, in disbelief. "He's doing this…for me?"

"Yes. Sor…the prince said that he had never seen the king so distressed or so determined to kill someone."

Cloud turned his head away. "With the exception to my father of course."

"I'm not sure the king even reached your father," Riku voiced his opinion. "The prince also told me that the king was not in the best of spirits when he returned home."

"I was probably frustrating him."

Riku sighed in defeat. Cloud didn't look into it. He still firmly believed Leon had killed his father. Nothing would tell him otherwise.

In a sudden flash, Riku was practically pushed nearly onto Cloud, an audible 'oof!' escaping from his thin pale lips. "My prince?!"

"How's Cloud doing?" Sora asked, clearly worried, but seeing Cloud awake grinned widely. "Hullo Cloud! Are you OK? How did Vexen's medicine taste? Awful right? And I heard Leon gave you a mouth to mouth since you couldn't drink it! Ooooooo, how scandalous!"

Cloud barely followed the rapid speech, not sure what to think about this hyperactive brunet. This was the first time Cloud properly heard him speak but he certainly didn't seem to be as unwell as the rest of the castle servants claimed he was. He seemed lively, energetic, bouncy, for goodness sakes he all but squashed Riku as he jumped onto his back.

"Oh! Where's my manners? I never introduced myself! My name's Sora! I'm Leon's brother but I bet you already guessed that because of Mr. Grumpy here!"

"My prince, my name is Riku…"

"You're Mr. Grumpy because you barely smile! So there!" He stuck his tongue out childishly at Riku before turning back to Cloud with a smile that could out-dazzle the sun. "So what's your favourite thing in the whole world? What do you like most? What do you hate most? What do you-"

"Shouldn't you be hiding from whoever is tutoring you, my prince," Riku droned, knowing how much the brunet hated lessons. Sora's eyes widen.

"By Hyne, you're right! Sorry Cloud! We'll talk later! Don't tell them I'm here!" And with that, Sora flung himself into Leon's wardrobe, hiding among the tunics and robes. Cloud blinked several times.

"He's…not what I expected," Cloud murmured honestly.

"I thought so too," Riku chuckled, shaking his head. "He truly doesn't act like someone who has been ill more times than he can count."

"But…I'm an enemy…and I…I guess I am lower than him…why was he so…friendly to me?"

"Because that's who he is," Riku whispered. "He doesn't care. He just wants to make friends." He smiled a little. "He's like Roxas…he's been so lonely even though he has hoards of people surrounding him. He's only very close to his brother and the lady Kairi, much like your brother was only close to us."

Cloud was speechless. He honestly now could see a little of his own brother in Sora. Roxas was not energetic or sunny as the brunet was; he was more like the moon, silent and broody, always second best. But both were lonely children. Both only had two close friends, including their siblings. And both had been torn away from each other; Sora and Leon undoubtedly hardly saw each other because of Leon's priorities as a king had to always come first, no matter how painful it was, and Kairi had been taken back to her home, accompanying her own brother and his new prize, Roxas. Similarly, the younger blond brother was far apart from his elder and it was unlikely the two would see each other ever again if not at all and it was the same with Riku, only he was in Sora's care.

It was quite…odd how alike the two fifteen-year-olds' situations were. It was almost borderline frightening, or as if they were somehow connected but destined to never truly meet each other. It almost made him feel…guilty about doing anything that could cause harm to the young brunet.

Make no mistake, he still loathed Leon and wanted to murder him, just…less so. The blond soon realized his resolve was dissolving so struggled to regain it, but the thought of harming Sora, who looked so much like his brother is it were not for the hair, the different skin tone and different personalities, made it so much harder. Then there was also the fact that Leon had, surprisingly, saved his life and was on a rampage to find the would-be assassin.

It was truly becoming difficult to keep up with his plotting. Maybe he would…find some way to extract revenge without having these thoughts holding him back.

"Cloud…please don't do anything to harm Sora," Riku whispered, knowing that Cloud probably still held onto his intent to assassinate Leon tightly. "If he lost his brother…I'm not sure what he will do."

"But Riku…"

"Please…for me," Riku begged quietly so that Sora in the wardrobe couldn't hear. The truth was, Riku didn't think he could bear seeing Sora cry. He always just saw him as someone who could be happy and smiling. And if Riku ever saw Sora otherwise…he was sure he too would feel the pain Sora would be in.

Cloud didn't understand how Riku could so quickly jump to defend his new master, when he too had been treated in a cruel way. Riku had been tortured while being questioned until he had to scream answers just to make it stop, he had been branded and yet he still found loyalty to his torturer's brother? What if…just what if Sora grew up and started to take example from his older brother? Would Riku still follow orders from him? Cloud honestly hoped that it wouldn't be so. He wasn't sure if he could do anything to harm the young prince but he didn't exactly trust him either.

"You were branded."

"Cloud?" Riku looked a bit confused.

"You're branded as their property. They've tortured you practically nearly to death. For goodness sakes Riku, you told me they used a _**Judas Chair**_ on you! Don't you remember anything of that?!"

Riku audibly winced at being reminded of that, but he knew Sora was listening. "I do remember it," he whispered softly. "And…are you saying you think…Sora would hurt me too?"

Cloud finally registered at this point that Riku was using the prince's given name instead of his title. For a servant, it was just unheard of. The servants here were already shocked that Cloud just refused to acknowledge Leon as 'my liege', 'your highness', 'your majesty', 'my king' or any other title. And then there was the soft whisper, seemingly emotionless and yet…it sounded a little shocked, maybe a little pained, but definitely in disbelief.

The wardrobe doors flew open and a blur of brown hair clamped itself onto Riku, murmuring 'no no no no no' repeatedly. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. You never said. You-"

"I didn't want to affect your relationship with your brother."

"But that doesn't give him the right to do that! He didn't- He shouldn't-!" Tears were falling from Sora's cerulean eyes, sobbing at the thought that his own servant had been treated so cruelly.

"Sora…" Riku started, holding his hand tentatively. "I'm fine now. He can't touch me. He knows that he can't as long as I am your servant. Back then, I was a prisoner who possibly had useful information for him. It's changed now. You don't have to cry."

"He promised me that he didn't break you! He lied! He lied!"

"Sora. I still have a mind."

"He lied to me!" Sora whimpered shrilly. "He always, _always_ lies to me! He promised me that he wouldn't keep going away for so long after Trabia and he did it anyway! He promised he would see me but he hardly ever does! He promised me that this whole fiasco with Hollow Bastion would end and it hasn't! He's still angry! He keeps lying to me! He-!"

"Sora!" Riku interrupted sharply, but immediately regretted it when he saw the hurt and frightened look on Sora's face. Cloud himself was surprised. Riku hardly ever raised his voice in front of his superiors, much less at them. "Sora…" he whispered calmly again. "You're brother isn't lying to you. He sometimes just doesn't predict things all that well. Sometimes he'll underestimate an enemy so what should take a month may take longer than he thought. Sometimes he'll think he'll have the time to see you, but then something of great importance comes up and he has to deal with it quickly. Sometimes things don't work out the way he wanted them to and so he gets frustrated because of it. And Sora…I'm not broken if I've yelled at you when it's not my place to. Your brother hasn't lied. He just miscalculated a few things and sometimes held back some of the truth to protect you."

Sora sniffled, wiping tears away with the back of his hand. "I'm sorry. It's just…I get so frustrated with Leon that I don't know what to do anymore."

"Leave the worrying to me," Riku smiled gently, maybe the first in a very long while Cloud had thought. "It is my duty to worry." Very gently, and maybe with a hint of friendly tenderness, Riku drew an arm around the distressed boy, soothing his new master. Cloud honestly had never seen Riku like this before. Riku had been commended back at Hollow Bastion for being wise beyond his own years but this…Riku seemed even more mature and wise than ever before, as if actually being captured and given the task of caring for a person, of staying with them to tend to their every need, had benefited him. And seeing that, Cloud was beginning to have doubts.

Sweet Hyne, did poisoning really make a person reflect on his thoughts, plans and actions this much?

* * *

Leon was snarling at the very man who dared try to poison Cloud. He was snarling even more as he heard this man confess that he was intending on assassinating the king himself for the glory of Trabia. It was a miracle that they even found this man skulking around the bailey. It was an even further miracle that one of the hounds used for sniffing out criminals had caught whiff of the poisons on the would-be poisoner's person and tackled him to the ground. This was enough to convict him but Leon wanted to know who he was and if there was a group. After all, dead men gave no information that he wanted. All they did give was the rotting odorous smell of Death.

Usually, whenever Leon had captured a would-be assassin, he had taken great enjoyment in seeing the criminal being brought to justice, tortured for answers, and then either hanged as a default choice or, if Leon was feeling particularly cruel to the criminal, have him killed by the method they would use. For this one, Leon found no enjoyment in seeing the man stretched on the rack until his joints wore torn, no revelry in hearing the man's screams for mercy or his forced out answers as he was stretched further and further. He just wanted -_needed_- to know…

"Why did you poison my concubine?" he demanded, his arms folded against his chest, eyes blazing with a burning passionate anger that no one had ever seen before. It was even scaring his hardened torturers who were used to seeing cruel acts upon human bodies, who were used to seeing unspeakable horrors that they no longer had nightmares of the screams and mangled bodies that came as a consequence of their duties.

"He was an easy test subject to use!" the man screeched as he was pulled further apart. "To see how quickly and how painfully you would die! He means nothing so why are you making such a- ahhh!"

Leon had kicked the wheel that stretched the body so that it would stretch the wretched captive even further, surprising the torturer that had been manning it.

"Your highness, I-"

"So you think he means _nothing_ to me?!" Leon bellowed at the captive, watching the man quiver and groan in fright and pain. "You think I just keep him here and do _nothing_ about him?!" His blazing angry eyes were like twin hurricanes of fire, sucking anything that got in their way and killing life instantly. He wanted to see this man dead. He wanted to kill this man himself. And he would enjoy it.

"Your highness, if you keep stretching him like that his arms and legs will be torn off!" one of the torturers cried to him. The king, however, was beyond caring.

"I want him to feel every little ounce of pain Cloud felt when he was poisoned," he ordered in a very cold voice. "I want him to feel that and beyond. I want him to regret ever being born for this task. I want him to welcome death." Leon's eyes were anything but cold. They were still white hot with rage. "He does not deserve the courtesy of quick and painless death."

The torturers, also executioners, knew that it meant that public hanging was out of the question. It also meant that they could get a bit creative in disposing this now hated enemy. They went about discussing it over the would-be assassin as the king left, the man's screams echoing in the room and throughout the basement chambers of the castle.

* * *

Leon would've stayed to come up with suggestions or even kill the man himself had he not become so anxious to hear about Cloud's condition. He travelled up the spiralling staircases of his home, going to his bedchamber where the still bedridden blond lay.

As he stepped in, he noticed that Sora's personal servant and the head maid were cleaning him from the sweat and grime from this morning, Sora sitting in a chair watching them in fascination. Leon narrowed his eyes.

"Sora?"

The young prince jumped, smiling brightly at his elder brother. "Hullo Leon! I was worried about Cloud so I came up here and-"

"Don't you have lessons to attend to?"

The prince's face fell at that, pouting. "But Leon…!"

"No buts. And please refrain from shouting. Cloud is probably trying to rest."

Sora left sulkily, obviously displeased at having been sent away. Tifa and Riku bowed to Leon once they were done, taking their leave as they were dismissed. Cloud's eyes were closed, his skin still a bit flushed from the fever he had received from the poisoning. Leon sat on the edge of the bed, looking down on him.

He almost, _almost_, lost Cloud today. And the thought scared him for some reason. The feeling of his own heart racing abnormally was something he had never felt for any one person with the exception to his brother and maybe Edea since she was the closest thing to a mother Leon had for years. But for _Cloud_?! An enemy?! Someone he should _hate_?! This was…absurd! Completely absurd!

And yet…he felt it. What did this mean? How could something other than hate form between a member of the proud Leonhart family and a member of the supercilious Strife family?

Leon couldn't help but ask those questions repeatedly as he brushed away a few stray hairs of platinum blond. Just what was going to happen now?


	15. Dawn

**A/N:** Le gasp! 284 reviews! And we're now only on chapter 15! Wow, what an achievement! Seriously, you guys rock.

I must say that the reviews I got here were...mixed. Some of you might have felt that Leon's changed a little too quickly, others think its a miracle he's thinking of Cloud in a different light. All I can say, panic and maybe a bit of fondness can do strange things to a person.

Right, anon reviews:  
_VIII's Girlfriend_: As you already know, some of the ideas did end up getting played around with in my head, so you never know if one of them will come up.  
_uriko_: Unexpected but yet effective. The perfect combination in my opinion!  
_hollowFAERIE_: -eats the HUGE cookie- Well I must say, Cloud must have really given up if he tried to commit suicide heh heh but like that will ever happen. Cloud seems to have this internal stubborn will to live. I mean, how many times has he escaped death in FF7 and all related films and such? And ah, the seeds of affection have been sown. Now to cultivate them.  
_bliss_: O-ho-ho ain't he? He'll be in denial even now until something else threatens Cloud (but maybe as a person he comes to care about rather than as a possession but who knows?)  
_Lokki Abumi_: -grabs chocolate bunnies and devours them quickly- Well, I am trying to write something for M.A. Really, I am. But it seems to have died five pages in (which is better considering it was stuck of page 1 for a loooooooong time). I think I need to watch something that has university life or the music business as a subject matter. I've not been seeing enough of them really. (Must be all the Hamlet, World War 1 literature and a sudden interest in the Viking/Medieval period that sparked things off. Heck, I now have a BL game's CG scenes on my computer and they're based on the hanamachi and kegai of 19th to 20th century Japan. That's sparked off a new story altogether. Do I make my life easy? Short answer: No) Anyways, hope you get something up soon. I'd be interested to read them.

So yes, please enjoy and review. Reviews are my oatmeal, raisin and chocolate chip cookies (they do taste yummy, swear it!)

**

* * *

Dawn.** The start of a new day. Or the beginning of something far greater than anyone could have expected. Maybe that could best summarise Cloud's thoughts and feelings as he lay there on the bed, looking out forlornly to the wilds of the moors beyond that window.

It had been about…maybe two weeks since he had been poisoned. Since then, Leon had disallowed Cloud to even step foot outside the bed, never mind the room. The royal medic and his team always came up to check up on him, always saying he was getting stronger by the day, but Cloud didn't feel like he was. Leon also visited, mostly during the night hours when he would just watch over him, hardly saying a word until both just fell asleep. In the morning, Leon would always be gone. He never stayed longer than he had to. Zexion also came in to see the blond when he had the time to spare. Cloud actually began to find him rather…likeable if you overlooked his indifferent attitude. He had a wide breadth of knowledge from literary texts to astronomy, was always willing to keep the blond entertained with games that demanded a large amount of logical power from the mind and concentration, and from time to time offered him some information of what was going on in the outside world. For example, Cloud now knew how the man that tried to kill him died. Leon had had the man stretched on the rack for days, giving only a few breaks so that the executioners could take a rest from the work, and then had him publicly poisoned by the very poison he had used against Cloud and then dragged around the surrounding villages for the people to mock and throw rotten vegetables at him.

The man had died in the most painfully and humiliatingly way possible. What's more, the man had received this punishment not just because of poisoning Cloud, but also because of his intent to perform regicide. Zexion had a bit of a satisfied look as he reported this all to Cloud, but the blond was now beginning to have second thoughts about his plans. If Leon had been cruel enough to allow such an execution to happen, he had no doubt that he would be spared if he succeeded in assassinating the king or not.

His resolve was faltering…but he could not allow Leon to live. Leon was guilty of regicide himself. Another count of regicide would make the two families equal. Wouldn't it?

He sat there on the bed, watching the sun rise above the moors. Leon was already gone. He didn't know where the king went so early in the morning, and quite frankly, he didn't care. Any time without the awkward silence was fine with him.

The only good thing that came with being so wretchedly sick was that Leon could look and lust over but he could not touch the blond unless he wanted to face Vexen's and Edea's wrath. The way Sora -who often visited when he was trying to hide from tutors or came up with Zexion so to play with Cloud- described Edea and Vexen in a state of sheer anger made Cloud fear for his life. Vexen's abilities in medicine and other scientific fields could be used to cause general discomfort while doing 'the best' his patient needed. The rumours flying about Edea being a sorceress with many bizarre and fantastical objects locked away in her chambers were enough to scare anyone into respecting her if she had not been the sole _woman_ who ran the political and domestic issues of Radiant Garden while Leon was still a child, and did it _well_. Truly, Cloud had come to the conclusion that she was not a person to take lightly.

The other person who came often regularly, if you excluded Riku and Tifa as they cleaned him and made sure he was comfortable, was the manservant Kiros. He had taken it upon himself to make sure Cloud was regularly fed and watered. The food was often the best the kitchens could provide. When Cloud asked why they were being so kind to him, Kiros just smiled and said that it was the household's duty to care for their own as well as their lords, masters and their guests. It didn't answer his question though. He had been so cold and supercilious to them, and they treated him with kindness and respect, despite his rank was maybe thought of as much less than that of a kitchen boy. A kitchen boy had more moral value than a concubine did, no matter how richly the concubine was rewarded for their services.

Cloud imagined that this was all the start of something he least expected. Something that ultimately would change the course of his entire lifetime, be it his loyalty to his own people or his hatred for the Leonharts. Something was going to change. He could feel it.

The door opened to disturb the concubine from his thoughts as the morning sun rose, the castle now a hive of buzzing activity again.

"Good morning Cloud," Vexen greeted in his usual chilly voice. His acidic green eyes looked at the blond with an almost friendly look, if it weren't for the touch of ice that went with it. The medic brought up a chair to the bed, sitting on it to look at Cloud. "How are you feeling?"

"Like pig shit," Cloud muttered weakly.

"I guess that's better than the last couple of nights." The last couple of nights Cloud had claimed that he had felt like 'cow shit that had been left for days in the fields for the flies to breed on and then burnt in a fire, maggots and all'. Vexen took out a small flask and pulled the stopper out, leaning over and placing it to Cloud's lips. "Here. The antidote."

"Thank you…" He opened his lips partially, letting the liquid bitter tasting antidote leak into the warmth of his mouth, screwing his eyes shut while trying to block out the flavour.

"You are getting stronger every day," Vexen repeated the same phrase that Cloud had heard for days now. "You should be able to leave this room soon."

"Then why is it that I feel so…"

"Unwell? May be because the shock of having gotten poisoned and having a brush with death. It does strange things to a person's mind."

"I…saw my life flash before my eyes…"

Vexen nodded his head in understanding. "Many do."

"It made me think…what was I living for? I was only the third in line for the throne, and most likely to be used as a bargaining tool for foreign policy. I…never really was loved by my father. I felt like I was the son he didn't want. Because I was borne from a woman he married only for convenience since the one he really wanted…was taken by the Leonharts. It was the same for Roxas…only, he was blamed for my mother's death." He shook his death. "How can you blame a child for a parent's death? How?"

A cool hand was placed over his, patting it. "People who are bereft often try to blame someone for the death of a loved one."

"My father didn't love her," Cloud muttered. "He barely loved me. And he never made time for Roxas. He was…all alone for so long. He only had me and Riku. We were the only ones who truly cared for him, played with him…we were…the only ones that Roxas ever truly knew." He closed his eyes, feeling pain as the truth came to his eyes. "And then my older brothers…the ones from my father's first wife…they went to war and never came back. Believed to be dead. And all of a sudden I and Roxas were the loved ones. We were Hollow Bastion's hope for the future. I was the crown prince in a matter of moments, something that many thought would never happen. And then…then I was going throw it all away, in some meaningless battle that wouldn't stop Leon's army. We were slaughtered Vexen! All my men who were captured were killed right before my own eyes! It was miracle in itself that Leon spared Riku from death!"

Another cool comforting touch. "Shush. You're working yourself up."

"I should've stayed in the city. I should've stayed where I was. Roxas would never have followed me. Riku would never have been tortured like he had been. I wouldn't be here!"

"Saying what you should _have_ done is something you should _not_ think about," Vexen murmured. "Thinking what you _will_ do now that you are here is really what you should _be_ doing."

Cloud knew that Vexen, with all his stresses over words, was talking sense. There was no time to look to the past. He had to look to the future, if he had one in this place.

"Lord Vexen?"

Vexen looked up and turned, looking flatly at the servant that had come in, raising an eyebrow at the bunch of thorn-less red, burgundy and lavender roses that were held in his hands. He sighed, "Him again?"

"I'm afraid so."

"What's the excuse this time?"

"He told me to tell you, 'There are for my most precious unattainable icy blue rose. Do know that I shan't give up on you, no matter how impossible the odds are'," the servant reported dutifully. Vexen sighed again.

"A lover?" Cloud asked.

"A 'suitor'," Vexen replied. "He's pursuing me."

"Why does he call you a 'blue rose'?" Cloud had heard of the myth. Blue roses did not bloom. If a person wanted a blue rose to admire, they had to take the bloom of a white rose and dye it. Unfortunately, like most other flowers that were picked for the purpose of indoor decoration, they died after a short while even if one did tend to them carefully.

"Because they symbolise the attaining of something impossible."

"So…he thinks its impossible to attain you but continues the chase for you anyway," Cloud murmured, a bit impressed at this one man's determination even though the odds were heavily stacked against him. Vexen nodded.

"That's what it seems to imply."

"Lord Vexen?" Another servant came in, this time with two dozen white rose blooms dyed blue. Vexen's eyes narrowed at the sight of them.

"He jests with me."

"He said, 'For my dearest blue rose, a rose dyed the colour of your aura for every hour I think of you in a day.'"

"That…rose-coloured…poof-ball…of a…lord…" Vexen grumbled testily, his patience wearing very thin, very fast.

Cloud looked in wonder at the amazing colour of the roses. They were without thorns and their petals were a brilliant hue of sapphire, an ethereal glow radiating from each delicate bloom in the morning light. He wondered…what they would feel like under his fingers. Waxy like any other rose? Or something different?

He guessed Vexen had seen the look on his face.

"Shall we put these in your chambers, my lord?" the woman asked tentatively.

"Leave the blue ones for young Cloud here," Vexen ordered. "The others…" He looked at them for a long while. "Take them to my work area. I'm sure I can find some use for them."

"My lord." The woman placed the blue roses in one of the pots that Leon had kept from some old campaign many years ago, the swirling watery designs of the creatures of the deep blue ocean looking at all with mysterious eyes and secretive looks. She put the pot on the small table put near to the bedside, so that Cloud could take a close look at the roses.

"Milord." The man bowed to Vexen, and left with the other bouquet, as if knowing what their fate would be in Vexen's work area.

Cloud looked at the medic. "Are you sure you want to leave them here? They're your gift."

"I get plenty of flowers as it is. Going off on a king's campaign is a welcome break from them."

"Do you dislike him?"

"No. I dislike his extravagant show of affection," Vexen sighed, an icy annoyed bite in his voice. "I much prefer it if he didn't make such a song and dance about it."

Cloud smiled weakly. "You should feel lucky."

"I will when he stops."

"Why?"

"I don't like drawing attention to myself. My duty is to heal and tend to others, not have others tend to me." He then stood, patting Cloud's hand one last time. "Please rest. I shall come back this afternoon with Kiros to check up on you. If you wish it, you could try to stand up and walk when we return. I'm sure you will like to be able to move again."

"Yes. Thank you."

"My pleasure. Good morning to you."

Vexen left. Cloud looked at the blue roses, admiring their beauty and reaching out to one blossom. "So beautiful…" He picked it out carefully, bringing it close and twirling it in his hands gently, as if it would break if he was not careful. He brought a cautious finger to the fragile petals, feeling the soft texture underneath it, the blue sharply contrasting with his pale skin; pearl pink and sapphire blue.

"So it symbolises obtaining the unattainable…" Cloud murmured. "Then I guess…it's the perfect symbol for me. I'm trying to obtain something that seems impossible." He sighed. "I'm just like that suitor…only he has more chance of getting Vexen's attention then I do of escaping here. The odds that are stacked against me…they're too much. I'm not sure if I can handle them." He took a deep breath. "Should I…even try to find an escape? Should I just sacrifice myself for the honour of my own kingdom? But what will happen to Riku and Roxas? Will they be dragged into a darkness because of my own doing? What do I do?"

These thoughts plagued the young blond's mind, and he eventually fell into an uneasy slumber.

* * *

Leon had come up into his bedchambers by some strange urge to check up on his concubine. He presumed that it may have had something to do with just wanting to see if one of his possessions was being mended like any broken thing of his should be. Sora often teased him that he was actually growing fond of Cloud. Leon often told him either he would silence his teasing or risk having extra lessons, knowing how much the prince hated lessons. Sora always chose to stay silent.

But the thought stayed with him. It bothered him; it bothered him greatly.

He pushed it to the furthest corner of his mind once he stepped into the bedchambers, seeing the addition of blue rose blooms in his room. He made an irritated sigh.

"That Marluxia…how exactly did he end up being the lord of Australis? So troublesome," he muttered to himself. He then remembered that Marluxia's strength lay in the use of the sickle and the scythe and he was a keen negotiator and planner when he was not busy chasing after his latest love-interests. The current prey for the rose-haired lord was the royal household's chief medic…and said medic was rejecting the advances regularly so the king hazarded a guess that he had left these roses here as a gift for Cloud. Though whether as a means to give him something interesting to look at or as a means to expresses his wishes for the concubine's speedy recovery was something that Leon had to mull on.

Once more pushing the thoughts to the furthest corner in his mind, to keep Sora's theory of his elder brother becoming fond of his concubine company, he stood over Cloud, seeing that the blond had one of the sapphire-coloured flowers in his hand.

"He must have been looking at them," he murmured to no one in particular. He took a hold of the rose loosely held by Cloud's fingers, inspecting it as gently as he could in his battle-hardened hands. Truly, the mystery of these beauteous blooms seemed to match Cloud. The same colour of his eyes, the same sense of trying to achieve the impossible, a will to still be prominent in a crowd. Yes…this flower very much suited the blond.

Leon stopped in his tracks at that thought. What was going on with him? Why was he comparing Cloud favourably? Why wasn't he having his usually cruel thoughts of him? Why didn't he hate him? Was Sora…correct?

He crushed the bloom in his hand, letting the damaged petals fall onto the blond. Like that flower, he was going to crush these thoughts and feelings. He was not going to let the blond see that his character was softening. No. To do that would mean Cloud could take advantage. He was not going to be the weaker of the two. If anyone was going to be weaker, it was going to be Cloud.

He left quickly, reminding himself he still had some letters of great importance to read and sign so they could be sent off to Ashe of Dalmasca. Then he had to send a few troops of his army there so to maintain the peace while the Archadians sent a few of their forces. No doubt that the Archadian soldiers would try to intimidate the people of Rabanastre while terms of peace were being drawn up. Then there was also the fact that he would have to go in order to make sure the peace was kept, especially since one of the Archadian ambassadors, Vayne, son of Emperor Gramis of the House of Solidor, would be in attendance. Leon trusted the Archadian lord as far as he could throw him. Their first meeting many years ago had instilled a great distrust of him.

All this right after his twentieth birthday.

* * *

In a small town by the name of Aura, quite close to Aurea Castle, the summer home of the kings of Radiant Garden, a lone traveller with a long billowing black cloak walked in the muddy and puddle-ridden streets, unaffected by the heavy rain that fell from the skies. His steps were light, as if he were not touching the ground at all, as he made his way to the local inn and tavern, his appearance going unnoticed as he entered the loud and exciting atmosphere.

There was talk of the Radiant Garden's expanding empire, rumours of other lands submitting to the kingdom's conquering king, there was even talk of the king wanting to go beyond the land and explore the wide ocean for new lands. The traveller was not interested in that. He took a seat at the bar, listening to the talk. The conversation was soon directed to the king's prize, and the first permanent concubine since many years ago.

"I'm surprised that the king would have a boy as a concubine," one customer chortled.

"And a boy who is nearly a man at that," another replied.

"But the men who have seen him say that he is a beauty. He'd even make a woman envious."

"Aye. Flaxen hair, cornflower eyes, skin the colour of the pinkest pearl, even his nails are the colour of the perfect shells. Pampered like a doll I've heard one of the soldiers say."

"Must take after his mother, the poor dead queen of Hollow Bastion."

"He is a prince?!"

"_Was_ a prince."

"And look at him now. A king's wench."

Roars of laughter thronged the air as the traveller listened to the conversation.

"Excuse me kind sir," the man murmured to the barkeep. His voice was soft but at the same time the tone and pitch were something ethereal, as if he were not truly fully there, but halfway into the world of the immortal gods and spirits.

"Can I help?" the barkeep asked, cleaning a beaker as he spoke and listened to the conversation going around.

"Can you tell me more about this concubine prince?"

"Hmmm…well there's a story and a half. But might I ask why you are interested in such a person?"

The traveller smiled under his hood, thin pale lips stretching into a curved line. "My curiosity was piqued."

"Well," the barkeep murmured, stroking his thick dark beard thoughtfully. "The concubine prince is a beauty as you have heard, and a former prince of Hollow Bastion. If I remember correctly, I believe he is the third son of the old king, but the first of his second queen. Fine woman she was too. Pretty little thing I've heard. Very obedient. Shame she died after giving birth to her second child two years after her first. Ah, but I am rambling. This concubine, the former third prince of Hollow Bastion, I hear tales that he is quite the spirited type. He refuses to back down and be pushed around. It took many men for him to be presented to the king in front of the court as he was still fighting to escape. I also heard that he was recently poisoned."

"Poisoned?" The traveller's smile never faltered, and there was an amused sound in his ghostly voice.

"Aye. Poisoned by a Trabian rebel. The man was executed almost immediately after he was found. The king even witnessed the whole thing. They say he smiled as it was happening. No one has ever seen such a malicious smile on his face before."

"And now?"

"The concubine's resting and recovering. Though, I have a feeling he'll be even more spirited than ever. From what I have heard, he doesn't strike me as the type who will give up so easily after something like that. More like he will be a bit wiser to when he chooses his battles."

"I see. Thank you for the story."

"Not at all. Now tell me stranger, where do you travel from?"

The smile was still on his pale lips. "I am just a humble traveller. I have no place that I call my home other than the wide open road."

The barkeep seemed to accept this answer.

But that answer was a subtle lie.


	16. Ignorance

**A/N:** Alrighty, I'm sure you'd like to have the next installment right? Well here ya go!!

I noticed that nearly everyone wants to know who this mysterious traveller was. Well, I can tell you this. I was shocked when someone suggested Demyx. No, it isn't him. There were people who said it had to be Sephiroth. Getting close. Kadaj: very very close. So now, his identity will be revealed in this very chapter! (Call this as a general reply to everyone's reviews because I need to start revising for my upcoming exams fairly soon so I don't have the time I usually do to reply to everyone of you guys. Sorry!!) Ok, so what else... Oh yes! Please keep on reviewing and reading my work!! My gosh, 21332 hits already (le gasp!!) I'm so flabbergasted by that figure!! I hope people continue to enjoy this! Oh, and reviews are of course, my chocolate marble cheesecake with whipped cream!!

**

* * *

Ignorance.** That was indeed bliss Axel had come to find. Having to keep Roxas ignorant to the fact his brother had been poisoned, however, had been an utter nightmare these past few weeks. And he had a feeling that it would only be a matter of time until someone dared to mention that the king's concubine was recovering from wolfsbane and foxglove poisoning.

"How long do you plan on keeping Master Roxas away from the truth, my lord?" Luxord asked as he brought lunch to the table. Kairi was out hunting with some of the men. She was one of the more active girls in the king's court, never wanting to sit still for a moment.

"Knowing the Trabians…he'll be here with his torch and pitchfork any moment now," Axel stated calmly, drinking from the small goblet. Ale. Lovely.

"Axel!"

"Speak of the devil," Luxord muttered.

One thoroughly agitated young blond in a dirty brown worker's smock, muddy trousers and boots and a straw handmade sun hat that one of the girls had offered him to protect his fair skin from the summer heat as he worked with the field hands that day, came in, his face red from exertion. Axel wondered it was from working hard or from running to the longhouse.

"Roxas," Axel smiled disarmingly.

"You must have known about Cloud!" Roxas sneered accusingly.

"Did I?" Axel mused. He had, but he decided to play innocent.

"You _must_ have! You're the king's knight! He would have told you these things!"

"Hmmm…did he now…" Axel cupped his chin thoughtfully, jutting his lips out as if he were trying to remember.

"Axel! Stop pretending that you don't know anything!" Roxas yowled.

"Stop believing that I'm all knowing in the king's affairs," Axel countered.

"This is my brother Axel! I have to know if he's fine!"

The look on the young blond's face spoke volumes to the red-haired warrior. There was the worry for his brother and the anger that he knew nothing of what had happened to him. There was the need for the specific knowledge and also the frustration of not getting it. All in all, it was a conflicted face. Axel rather liked these sorts of faces. His eyes seemed confused with all the emotions. He liked his smiling and blushing faces better though.

"Well, fortunately for you," Axel started in a cavalier tone, "the king just happened to have alerted me to your brother's condition."

"He did!" His eyes now shone brightly with hope, hands clasped together as if in prayer. Axel smirked, holding up a rolled up piece of parchment that had been delivered early this morning. He had just finished reading it. Roxas snatched it quickly, unfurling it with shaky hands, his blue eyes darting about the page. Luxord was about to reprimand the boy from just grabbing from his lord and master's hand, but Axel raised a hand to stop him. He wasn't going to let Roxas be scolded for being worried.

"Oh thank Hyne. He's fine. A little ill, but he'll live," Roxas sighed in relief.

"Which brings us to our next point," Axel stated. His emerald eyes no longer held that mischievous twinkle within them. Instead, a glint of seriousness was in them. His usually jovial face was now grim.

"What is it?" Roxas asked. He had only seen such a face once before. And that was the night before Hollow Bastion fell.

"You are not to be anywhere on your own," Axel ordered. "Anything that you eat or drink will be tested before you even get a chance to taste it. Even your clothes will be checked."

"Huh? What for?"

"I'm not taking any chances," Axel murmured grimly. "If your brother was poisoned just because of who he is, then that will encourage others who hate you to do the same. I'm not going to risk losing you."

Roxas blinked, not just at the abrupt decision, but at those words _'I'm not going to risk losing you'_. The notion that he was wanted made Roxas' heart burn a bit in delight, but only to be quelled when he remembered that he was just a prize and technically a belonging of Axel's, even if he were a squire to the warrior. "I…I see…"

"Good." Axel nodded his head, taking a swig of his drink. "Good."

* * *

"My prince-"

"Sora! My name is Sora!"

"…Sora…are you sure we should be hiding here? Lord Zexion is bound to find us."

Riku and Sora were currently hiding out in the castle garden, among the hardy moor-land bushes that grew in abundance. The prince seemed confident that they would not be found, though it couldn't be said for the servant whose silver hair got entangled in the scratchy, clawing branches. They lay low, staying silent as guards went past them, yelling orders and reports of being unable to find the prince again. Sora couldn't help but suppress a giggle as the guards went out of the garden, screeching orders like banshees. And soon, the place was quiet, little birds singing to each other their afternoon melodies loudly and shrilly.

"So how long do you plan to hide here?" Riku asked tentatively, feeling his back strain from crouching.

"Until dinnertime," Sora smiled brightly, his eyes alight with childish innocence. It then soured, the young prince turning his face away sadly. "Riku…I'm worried."

"About what?"

"You. Cloud was from Hollow Bastion. And so are you. What if it wasn't just about killing Leon? What if they try to kill me too but use you as a test subject first like they did with Cloud? What if-?"

Riku placed a calming finger to Sora's lips. "Hush. It won't happen. I'm more careful." He then pulled the finger away.

"But what if does happen? I-" He paused, his cheeks blossoming like pink flowers in the third month of spring. "I don't know what I would do…"

"Sora?" The silver-haired servant looked at his master, perplexed. Would the prince be that lost if he, a lowly servant, were to die? "Sora?"

"Ah, nothing," Sora grinned, childish demeanour returned. "Ah, the kitchens may have something sweet available! Let's try to steal one before Cook catches wind of us!"

Riku took a deep breath, rubbing his forehead to stave off the headache that was beginning to form. "As you wish, my-"

"Ah!"

"…Sora…"

As they got out of the bushes, Riku swore he felt some unwanted presence. He turned to the battlements, but saw nothing there. He chewed on his lip and then turned and followed Sora.

Maybe ignorance was bliss…but it could certainly be dangerous. Riku hoped to the highest lord of the heavens that he was wrong about this presence and was just being nervous after what had happened to his former lord and master.

* * *

"Come Roxas, don't have a wee doze while workin'," Mary's brisk voice broke Roxas' train of thought. The young blond jumped, looking over to her.

"Oh? Sorry." He went back to work. He had decided that he wanted to stay with the servants tonight, so it was his and Mary's turn to wash up the dishes. "I just wish…that I could see my brother."

"Wishes don't wash dishes, m'lad," Mary pointed out, smiling a bit at her young charge.

"What?"

"It's an auld wives tale we say in Trabia. 'Wishes don't wash dishes', how very true."

"What's it supposed to mean?"

"It means, laddy, if ye don't start washin' those dishes, I'll box yer ears."

Roxas was about to protest by stating his former position…but then remembered Luxord's advice from that first night he arrived in this strange new land and so silenced himself. "Sorry." He returned to work, thinking that he had never been threatened punishment before, not even the violent kind.

"Hey, hey, what's that look for?"

"It's…the first time anyone has threatened to beat me."

"Oh? So yer are the pampered kind huh? Well, we'll have ta change that, won't we laddy?"

"I guess so."

"Oi! This is ta part where ye beg for mercy!"

"Is it?"

"Why ye little…"

Roxas laughed at Mary splashed him with cold water, getting her back and making her shriek.

They were ignorant of the fact that someone who had a lot of hatred for the young blond was watching them, her intent murderous.

* * *

That night, Riku found himself having to pinch the bridge of his nose to stave off an even bigger headache.

Dinner was pretty much a disaster. The young prince had been scolded severely by Lady Edea and Lord Zexion and then who would come in at that very moment but the king himself. After hearing what had happened, he gave Sora an ultimatum: either he would do his lessons as expected of him or his servant would get punished for his obduracy. Sora made his decision in a flash moment. He would rather suffer then let his personal servant get the blame for his lack of studies. And then the prince whispered to Riku that his older brother would surely forget his vow in a week or so since he had so much to do. The silver-haired servant had to force himself not to roll his eyes. Honestly, there was no teaching sense to the childish prince.

And now, Sora had undressed in front of Riku right before the servant had time to prepare his nightclothes.

"Prince Sora, please! Modesty needs to be practiced!" Riku screwed his eyes shut, only having a glimpse of the royal behind and thankfully not more.

"Oh don't be such a prude, Riku. We're both boys," Sora argued. Although it was logical, Riku did _not_ want to have the privilege of seeing more than he should.

"Please put your nightclothes on!" Riku demanded, holding them out. He heard rustling, but just as he thought it was safe to look, he wished he had waited.

Sora was struggling a bit with getting his nightclothes over his head for some reason, which meant that the rest of him was uncovered. Riku's eyes widened when he saw the undefined but frail skinny body, ravaged by sickness and ill health. He never realised just how unwell Sora really was but this…this just made Riku want to…protect the young boy for some reason. But why? True that Sora had been nothing but very kind towards him, but they were former enemies. The fact that he could easily kill the young boy if he wished to made him quite the suspicious character if anything were to happen to Sora, and yet still…why did he not take such a chance?

His eyes went further down and saw that where Sora's body was damaged he had made up for it. Riku immediately tore his eyes away. What on earth was wrong with him?!

"Riku…! Help!"

"Ah! Right!" Riku came over, desperately trying to ignore the fleshy organ between the prince's legs as he pulled the simple cloth over Sora's head, letting go of a breath he hadn't realised that he had held once he saw the brunet's face again. "There we go."

"Thank you Riku," Sora beamed, making sure he was properly covered.

"My pleasure…"

The young prince went over to the bed, getting himself comfy. Riku pulled the covers over him, inwardly sighing in relief. Another trying day finally done.

"Hey Riku…"

"Yes?"

"You saw my body…right?"

"Ah…" How does one respond to that kind of question? Riku decided to be honest…in a roundabout sense. "I saw what would be acceptable…"

"Do you…do you think I'll ever get better?"

Riku looked at him and saw the look of a boy who was made a prisoner of sickness and who was desperate to live like any other boy his own age. But Riku could see that this was also a boy who was determined to not let his disease ravaged body get the better of him.

"Sora, you'll get better. If not that, you'll get even stronger," Riku stated firmly. "If you've managed to defeat your illness and maladies up to now, then you will make it to adulthood. I'm sure of it."

Sora smiled bravely up at him. "Thanks Riku." He closed his eyes, nestling deeply into his sheets and pillows. "Goodnight…"

"Goodnight, my prince," Riku bowed, about to withdraw to the servants quarters for the night.

"My name is Sora…" the young prince muttered sleepily, turning on his side and closing his eyes. Riku chuckled, shaking his head.

* * *

"I don't see why I have to answer to you," Cloud growled at the man across from him. He was now standing by the fire, warming his cold bones up. But now the king had the same idea too.

"You seem to forget how low down the hierarchy you are," Leon muttered, his annoyance slowly rising.

"I don't _care_ about your _hierarchy_!" Cloud snapped, his usual anger and stubbornness returning after a long period of thinking of himself just a small worthless person in a bigger world. "As far as I can see it, you are treating me in a way that is humiliating and reserved for those that deserve your attention!"

That comment had reduced Leon into a flabbergasted blinking mute. It took the best of a minute for him to compose himself. "Don't flatter yourself, Cloud."

"I'm not. But it does make me wonder," Cloud smirked, seeing that he had obviously touched upon a very sensitive spot in Leon's armour. He watched quietly as Leon's face went from various shades of red.

"If you want to live," Leon growled testily, "I suggest you hold back your tongue."

"And if I don't?" Cloud challenged.

"Do you want a visit to the dungeons?" Leon threatened. "Or do you want to meet with the executioner yourself?"

Cloud snarled, keeping silent though grumbling inwardly to himself. At the same time, he was giving himself a mental congratulatory pat on the back for finding one of Leon's very sensitive chinks in the armour. He guessed Leon had taken a lot of gripes for taking on an enemy prince of a conquered kingdom as a concubine. It was a dangerous move after all. The captured prince might just plot for revenge.

"Good boy," Leon grumbled, glaring holes into the blond concubine. He then turned on his heel.

"Where are you going _highness_?" Cloud asked in a taunting voice.

"Somewhere where I don't have to put up with an aggravating straw-head like you!" Leon snapped back, his patience having worn thin. He slammed the door shut.

"How rude…" Cloud sighed, slumping into a chair that was nearby. "Well…hopefully when he comes back he would have gotten rid of some of that temper. Though I doubt it." He resigned himself to the return of nights where he would scream out in pain but never ever beg for it to stop for he had learnt that his captor would never listen to him. He closed his eyes, thinking of how nice this small break from it was while it lasted when he heard something.

"Leon?" He stood up, looking as the door handle turned slightly. "Is that you?"

No…it wasn't heavy footfalls. No…it was light, soft, airy, as if it were never there. A cloaked figure entered the room, and a glisten of long silver hair fell out of it.

"It's been a while, my prince," a soft ghostly voice murmured. The figure took of his hood, revealing the alabaster face that could be mistaken for a woman's and the unearthly green eyes that unmistakeably belonged to the House of Jenova. Cloud felt his heart soar.

"Yazoo."

The young man bowed, a faint smile playing across his thin pale lips. "On behalf of what is left of the Hollow Bastion forces, I deeply apologise for not realising you were still alive and breathing and for declaring your brother, the prince Roxas, as a traitor."

Cloud's eyes furrowed. "Why did you declare him that?"

"He had disobeyed your dearly departed father's word, but now we see that maybe it was for the best that he had followed you. We had not foreseen that he would be kept a captive even after the battle was lost."

"Captive?!" It was true that Cloud had heard nothing of Roxas but if Yazoo knew something… "What do you know of Roxas?! What's happened to him?!"

Yazoo was silent for a moment, before mournfully replying, "It is regrettable but your brother had been tortured by that warrior with flame-coloured hair until he died pitifully according to our spies."

"No…" Cloud slumped to his knees, feeling his world break. "No…no…" Leon promised him Roxas would not suffer…and now this? Cloud had clung onto surviving at the mere fact that Roxas was still alive and anything he did now could affect his younger brother negatively. But now he was gone. And raging hate became white hot inside his body, wanting to kill Leon for his treachery. But there was Riku to consider.

"We have also found out who the traitor that allowed these Radiant Garden barbarians into the city," Yazoo reported, spitting out the last bit hatefully. "Riku of the House of Jenova."

"What?!" Cloud's head shot up, a few tears mingling in his eyes but now the sapphire blue were raging. He got up to his feet. "I'll have his head…"

"My prince…why not kill two birds with one stone?" Yazoo suggested helpfully.

"How?"

"Simple, my prince. You murder the king, you make it look like the traitor had done it, and then you come with me to my brothers and our forces so that we can plan our revenge with the Archadian Empire."

Cloud nodded his head. Yes…that was indeed a good plan. "Alright. But promise me one thing. Bring the flame-haired one alive when we eventually capture him. I want to be his executioner for the crimes he committed against me."

"As you wish, my prince," Yazoo bowed, that same smile not faltering. He then produced a knife with the emblem of the Jenova family entwined around the handle, one glittering green eye tauntingly staring at those it were enemies with. "Use this knife, my prince. The traitor will surely be suspect as soon as they see it is a knife of the Jenova family."

Cloud took it, a cold smile gracing his features. Yes…with this knife, he would avenge his father, his older brothers, his kingdom and now his younger brother would be avenged, and hopefully soon. It was the least he could do to keep his promise to his mother.

"I shall be here for a week," Yazoo whispered. "There is a tunnel leading out from the cellar to the ditch. If you make your way to the town, I will have fresh horses for us both to ride on."

"I have a week to do this…"

"Don't rush it though, my prince. Lull the king into a false sense of security and then when he least expects it, strike."

Cloud nodded his head, his mission clear in his mind, and his grip tightened around the small blade. Yazoo bowed to him politely, his smile still faintly on his pale lips. "Goodnight, my prince. Pleasant dreams."

If only Yazoo knew just how humiliating his treatment every night was. Cloud shook his head and immediately hid the blade under the bear skin rug, wanting it to be safe and secure and away from prying eyes.

He was going to kill Leon. That much was now clear as he saw the whole truth before his own eyes.

* * *

Edea looked at her cards that night, her worries increasing by the day as each reading showed more and more truths that she could not be ignorant of.

The reversed Magician. There was a trickster in the castle at this very moment and was pulling the wool over someone's eyes.

This someone was ruled by lion of the stars, symbolised by the reversed three of wands, the suit of fire. This person was stubborn and refused to appreciate what the real truth was, the truth that was not told by the Magician.

The final card was The Moon. Nothing was at all as it seemed and great care was to be taken, but the path the one symbolised by the crayfish on the path was the right one to take, even if it feared the wolf or was tempted by the dog to follow their paths. Everything would turn out well.

Edea had her doubts. Because a card had fallen out of her hands during her reading. This card was The Lovers. If linked to The Moon, it meant that a clandestine love affair was going to take shape and form fairly soon, maybe by the next full moon, which was coming by the end of this week. Edea shook her head, putting her clasped hands to her lips, leaning on her vanity table.

A love affair? It couldn't be. But the cards were making it clear. Quickly gathering up her cards, she reshuffled them, asking her question to the spirits within them. She dealt her cards.

The Lovers appeared at the start, but this time reversed. It meant it was an unhappy relationship right now. She drew out two cards by accident for the next one: The Page of Wands and The King of Pentacles. One who was ruled by bright and energetic fire and the other by nurturing and strong earth. Edea blinked. The one ruled by fire…Cloud, born under the sign of the lion. And Leon…his star-sign, the maiden of the stars, was ruled by earth.

"It…it cannot be…!"

He drew her next card. The Ace of Cups. A sign of love. All affairs of the heart would prosper. Edea could nearly weep at the sight.

Not that she would be happy for the little boy king she cared for for many years. But it was the fact that he would fall in love with a man, and an enemy prince no doubt. It could never lead to happiness. It could not. But she could not go against Fate's will. Even Hyne, the most prominent of the lords of the heavens, could not change the will of Fate.

"Oh Leon…oh Squall…" Edea murmured. "Please…be safe…"


	17. Agonizing

**A/N:** Ahhhhhh, I'm back. This chapter...hmmm...I feel like I've broken Leon a bit...though whether its a good thing or a bad thing I don't know. I hope its a good thing. It's not like he's completely madly in love with Cloud (sorry girls and boys) but...hmmm...I leave you guys to be the judge of it.

I'm back at school now, dealing with schoolwork and junk. Exams mostly. Art Exam first and foremost on my worry list. Ah well, at least I've hit a gold mine with the exam question, so no worries.

Anyways, anon review replies needing to be answered:  
_RiFoMe:_ Thank you for your review. And don't worry about not reviewing every single chapter. It makes it easier for me to just filter out the most recent reviews for a recent chapter instead of having to trawl around the review pages finding reviews to reply to.  
_bliss:_ If you read between the lines, I guess you could say that lol  
_Woot:_ And here's what I have to say to you: X3  
_Lockea:_ Ah puppets making puppets. Its funny how the side Cloud yearns to be on is just more controlling than the side he's on now. And its great that you've noticed the very obvious trap that Cloud's failed to realise. Even if he did fail spectacularly, he would either be killed by either Leon or his laws or escape, be used as a puppet king and maybe even be killed himself when he's no longer useful to the one pulling the strings. As for the Tarot cards, I'm a Tarot card reader (I'm usually right 90 of the time) so Tarot card meanings just come to me. I no longer have to use a book now...but I do need new cards. Mine are tattered. I hope you enjoy everything coming up! The wheels are in motion, and the climax is slowly building!  
_hollowFAERIE:_ Be suspicious...be very suspicious of Yazoo.  
_Lokki Abumi:_ XD I think everyone wants Demyx to appear. But you know what...I'm in a generous mood so I will tell you this: he is coming. I don't know what chapter but I know **EXACTLY** where and when Demy will make an appearance. Just watch out for the bells (chuckles). As for the fanart...my favourite scene hasn't quite come up yet (its coming up in a future chapter...quite far into the future) but...if there is one scene I would love to have fanart on, it would probably be Roxas' introduction in the servants' longhouse in Aurelias (Axel's land). I just see it being a very colourful and lively scene lol

OK. So please read and enjoy! And review! Reviews are my GREEN TEA FLAVOURED POCKY!!

**

* * *

Agonizing.** Zexion came to the conclusion that that was the feeling the once Regent of Radiant Garden had on her bewitching face as he came across her in the library. She was agonizing over something. Being the curious soul that he was, he came up to her, nose in a book of one of the great philosophers of an age gone by.

"Good morning, Lady Edea," he greeted charmingly, putting on the air of a concerned friend. "What troubles you? You have such a Friday face."

Edea turned her dark eyes on the chief advisor, her worries etched into her white skin. "I fear it too terrible to mention."

"Come now," Zexion smiled sweetly, knowing that gentleness and meekness would need to go hand in hand around this woman. Zexion was a man of science but even he would not go against the so-called sorceress. "Tell me."

The woman looked around, as if fearing they would be overheard. She then got a little closer to him, whispering in a soft voice Zexion had to strain his ears to catch it. "Last night, I was reading my tarot cards. I've been getting very disturbing readings lately but this one has worried me the most."

"Oh?"

"It's the king. I think there's a chance that he is in danger. And I believe that that concubine of his is in the middle of it."

Zexion pursed his lips in thought. "My…that is serious. And you are sure of this?"

"As sure as night and day are different."

Zexion's brows furrowed in deep thought. If the castle's own sorceress was showing concern of a plot, then it could only mean trouble. Edea had yet to be wrong at all. "I'll report this to the king when I meet him for his paper work."

"Shouldn't you put everyone on the alert?"

"I have a better idea." Zexion turned on his heel, his back towards her. "Having alerted me to this, I think we should let our little rat come back to the cheese at some point."

"What?"

He looked over his shoulder, a mysterious smirk gracing his features. "I don't think our little concubine's the ring leader in any plot against the king. He gets so hateful towards the king and is always so busy openly admitting to it, he wouldn't even think up a plan to kill him just yet. And besides, he would be risking his brother's life so why would he do it?"

"You don't think he planned something?"

"It's highly unlikely given his current situation. I believe there's someone convincing him to do it."

"Hmm…there does seem to be a trickster on the loose…"

"Do you think your cards could give us a physical description?" Zexion asked, knowing that Edea had more than once helped them catch criminals by asking her cards for physical descriptions of them. The court cards or her deck played a very vast role in her readings.

"I tried. But all I got was The Magician card, The Moon and The Hierophant cards over and over again. All of them were reversed."

"Hmm…" Zexion thought for a moment. "A foe that can't be described…this is troublesome."

"He's pale," Edea whispered. "Very pale. Almost ghostly, but almost womanly too since The Moon is a feminine card. That's all I could make out from the cards. And he's very dangerous even though he puts on a friendly face." She looked to Zexion. "You won't…confront him, will you?"

"No. I'll just find out who he is and then report back to the king."

"How do you plan on doing that?"

"Like I said, we're leading the rat right back to the cheese."

* * *

Leon's face was a picture of grave consideration, taking into account of the new information that Zexion and Edea had both alerted him too. He closed his eyes. So Cloud was thinking of killing him. Well, it was bound to happen at some point, but why when the blond's brother and his friend were in immediate danger if he did something?

"Not only that," Zexion continued. "Kiros had alerted me to some animosity between the servant, Riku, and the concubine in question. Do you think he may have caught wind of Riku being the one who gave us important information a few nights before Hollow Bastion's fall?"

"Possibly…" Leon murmured. He then opened his eyes. "Not only that, but I'm very sure that it also has something to do with his father being murdered but no one being able to name the killer."

"My liege?" Edea questioned.

"As far as Cloud is concerned, I'm guilty until proven innocent."

"That may work into our advantage though," Zexion murmured.

"How so?" Edea asked, looking over to the steel-haired man.

"If Cloud were still to believe that his liege were still the killer of the old king of Hollow Bastion, his intent would not be shaken. But, if we were to let a little rumour spread into the town -say that the plan was found out and Cloud was in the dungeons awaiting trial and execution- the really instigator would most likely want to find out more if their plan was in danger of failing and then…we find out for sure who's behind this."

"And what of Cloud?" Leon asked, his voice very low and serious.

"I'm sure he'll try to get close to you. So let him." The king raised a brow at his advisor's suggestion. Even the sorceress seemed a bit curious of the advice. "He will want you to be off your guard so in order to do that, he will get close to you and probably act a bit more like a willing servant then a rebellious prisoner. So I say, let him think you're getting more relaxed around him. It'll only be his downfall in the end."

Leon nodded his head. "Alright. But leave Cloud to me. I will deal with him."

"My liege," both advisor and sorceress agreed and bowed to their sovereign.

* * *

Yazoo was sitting at the window, taking a long drag of a pipe as he listened to the rumours circulating the tavern.

"I knew there was no good from keeping that fallen prince."

"Serves him right for trying to kill the king."

"Such a waste of beauty though."

Yazoo's eyes narrowed. "My my…this doesn't bode well for his plan. He will be most displeased if his little puppet prince were to die too soon without killing his most powerful rival to his plans."

Yazoo gathered his cloak and pipe, going up into his room to prepare for another night sneaking into Aura Castle.

* * *

Cloud watched the world go by, silently mourning over the loss of his younger brother, the only family he had left in the world.

"Roxas…" If only he could see him again. Would he still be recognizable from his tortured corpse? Or did he look repulsive now, something inhuman? Cloud closed his eyes. "Watch over me, Roxas."

At that moment, the king came in, stretching a bit. Cloud looked away from the window to him, silently watching him.

"No insults today?" Leon groaned, trying to get out a particularly bad knot in his back but without much success. "That's unusual for you."

Cloud kept his silence, thinking. He had to get close to the king…this seemed like a good opportunity. Might as well play the role of the good concubine, he presumed. The king sat down on a stool -padded by animal fur- in front of the now burning log in the fireplace, still trying to get the kinks out of his muscles. Cloud slowly walked over, very cautiously putting his hands on Leon's shoulders. The king looked over his shoulder, one stormy eye glancing at him suspiciously. Cloud didn't look back, beginning to rub the tense muscles thickly. Leon closed his eyes in mild surprise.

"Where did this come from?"

"I just felt like it," Cloud muttered. "And…if we're supposed to be sleeping in the same room as each other…I presumed it wouldn't hurt to try and be…nice." The blond had to force that last word out, it having a taste of poison in his mouth.

"Lower."

"What?"

"Go lower," Leon ordered. Cloud did, feeling just how tense and knotted the muscles were in his back.

"Were you training?"

"On top of running a castle, a country and foreign affairs."

Cloud said nothing, still massaging his back roughly. Leon kept silent, but he seemed to enjoy it if the usually tense atmosphere slowly becoming relaxed was anything to go by. Cloud also found this rather therapeutic. It was like he could take out all of his pent up frustrations on the person he hated most without even causing a scratch that could be held against him.

"You'll be having the room to yourself for a while," Leon muttered, making a small appreciative noise as Cloud found a particularly tough knot in his back.

"Is that so?"

"Hmm…a few things came up with an ambassador. Have to meet with him."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Would you rather that you knew nothing of what was going on?" Cloud remained silent, still rubbing him roughly. "I'll take that as a no then."

Silence filled the room, with the occasional grunt coming from Leon. Cloud's eyes began to droop from the heat and rhythmic rubbings, lulling him to a slumber that was only disturbed when there was a knock on the door.

"Yes?" Leon called.

"The meeting shall be starting, my liege," Kiros' voice summoned for him.

"I shall be with you in a moment," Leon sighed, shaking Cloud's hands off him and standing up. He then turned to Cloud. "Do you mind fetching my cloak? Have to look like the "barbarian king" everyone seems to have stereotyped me."

"You're not afraid that I will do something to you?"

"What could you possibly do to me?" Leon smirked.

This was a chance to strike. The king had let his guard down…but he was also standing where the knife was hidden so Cloud could not act. He nodded his head, holding in a sigh as he performed the task like a dutiful servant. Leon gave him a rather surprised look.

"You're acting unlike yourself."

"I've just come to learn that no good will come if I continue to be a bane of your existence," Cloud grumbled sarcastically. Leon rolled his eyes, seeing that spirit of Cloud's still had not weakened at all. He threw his lion skin over his shoulders, giving Cloud one last glance of suspicion before turning to leave. "I'll be back sometime during the night. Don't wait for me."

"Don't plan to," Cloud shot back. The king just left without anything further to say.

* * *

Yazoo stealthily crept along the dimly lit corridors of Aura Castle, his steps light and airy, as if he never truly there. Though…he had a feeling he was being followed, but every time he turned around to catch out his hunter, there was nothing but the shadows. Putting it down to nerves, he headed up for the king's chambers, overhearing from idle servants' chatter that the blond concubine was still in his master's rooms.

Further away, Zexion was tailing the hooded stranger, his own dark hood keeping him out of sight as he hid in the shadows. His steps were soundless, his face ashen so that he could not be found. The unfamiliar person moved; Zexion followed. He turned; Zexion would duck. He moved again; Zexion slowly trailed. It was a repeated pattern that Zexion had mastered. This person had only suspicion of being followed but no solid proof of it.

Yazoo finally reached the king's chambers, slowly opening the door.

Zexion kept a safe distance, waiting for the stranger to take off his hood, listening carefully to all that was going on.

"Yazoo?" Cloud's voice questioned.

So his name is Yazoo, Zexion had thought. He would raise this with the king and his sorceress later. He continued to listen.

"So you did not attack the king so suddenly."

"No. I did not."

And there was definitely a plot. Edea's cards had spoken the truth once again. Zexion took note of this.

"You only have a little time left, my prince. Time is of the essence."

"I thought you wanted me to get close to him."

"I do. But please be quick. You only have until this upcoming full moon. Five days, my prince. Five."

"Five days to kill him. I can do that."

"Your confidence is reassuring, my prince."

"And you will bring me to Sephiroth when I have completed my goal."

"Yes."

"Then I shall succeed. For the sake of Hollow Bastion, I will succeed in my mission."

"Then I have no more doubts. Good evening to you, my prince."

The stranger withdrew, oblivious to the presence of a spy. Zexion watched the hooded stranger go, only catching a glimpse of long silver hair. So that man was Yazoo, their rat. He retired from the hallway and walked towards the king's study, waiting to report to the king his findings.

* * *

Leon felt heavy-hearted as he trudged back to his chambers, the knowledge of sharing a bed with his would-be murderer weighing heavy on his mind. What could he do? He had to catch Cloud in the act and yet…to do that would mean Cloud would undoubtedly be tried for treason and would have to be executed. There was no exception to this rule. None at all unless he pardoned Cloud, but knowing the blond, he would not accept it.

He opened the door to a dimly lit room, the embers cooling down in the fireplace. Cloud was in the bed, his naked body glimmering in the little half-moon light. Leon yawned a bit, throwing off his lion-skin and pulling his tunic over his head, looking at that blond again. He had recovered fully from the poisoning…and he needed to let the blond _think_ he was getting close to the king…yes…

He felt his groin stir in their confines, and he could no longer ignore it. He took off his trousers, his erection lifting up to the air as he looked at that blond for a moment longer. He sat on the bed, still looking at the slumbering blond, just admiring the sheer beauty of the man. He placed a warm hand on Cloud's shoulder and shook it, waking the slumbering man up. "What…?" he grumbled.

"I'm erect," Leon told him bluntly, looking at him with an expectant look.

"Sort it out yourself. I'm sleeping," the blond growled, turning onto his side firmly and trying to go back to sleep.

"It's your occupation to see to my carnal needs," the king reminded his concubine, a small smile gracing his features at the blond's defiance until he quickly quashed it from view.

"I still won't do it."

"Then I will force you to do it."

"You wouldn't dare," Cloud hissed lowly, still refusing to face him.

"You seem to forget that I'm capable of doing _anything_ to you," Leon whispered harshly into his ear, sliding a hand along the slender muscled form, feeling it shiver in disgust underneath his touch. Leon didn't mind. He only lusted after Cloud. There was no love. Not when the one who felt a lot of _lust_ for was the one plotting your death.

Cloud closed his eyes tightly, trying to bite back any gasps and low calls that tried to erupt from his throat, determined not to let Leon win. But wait…didn't this mean getting closer to the king? Cloud could see it now. Being in the throes of passion and then, when Cloud was sure Leon was too occupied, he would raise the knife above the king and stab him in the back. It seemed perfect, if not maybe an ironic death. The only issue was, how do you get a dead body off of you when it's practically heavy bone and muscle? Cloud was going to have to be a bit more…simple with his plans. He almost gasped in shock when he felt his leg being lifted up by his thigh.

"Stop it!" Cloud hissed.

"No."

A hand trailed along the valley between Cloud's firm buttocks, slowly, painfully, the touch sometimes only ghosting that Cloud could barely feel the presence, or at other times the fingers making their existence known. Leon especially took great pleasure in fingering Cloud's flowering entrance, smirking a bit when he finally managed to get a breathless gasp out of the blond. He slipped his middle inside him, his other hand busily stroking along the inner thigh of the lifted leg. The small smirk unfurling on Leon's features could be felt on Cloud's neck as he bit and marked the blond savagely. Cloud cried out, slightly in pain, slightly out of disgust that he was allowing himself to be tarnished like this for the umpteenth time. He whimpered pitifully when a second finger was inserted; an index finger.

"Leon…please…" Cloud cried pleadingly. Before his poisoning, Cloud had managed to get used to preparing himself well enough that the pain no longer bothered him, but now after several weeks of having not done this act, the feeling of fingers inside him was foreign and agonizing.

"You're in no position to beg me," Leon murmured into his neck, finding a favoured spot of his; just below the ear. His other hand was still roughly stroking Cloud's thigh, brushing against the blond's soft curls of hair that covered protectively over Cloud's manhood. Cloud panted for breath, his eyes stinging. He begged, cried, screeched to be released, but Leon ignored him, now removing his fingers and brushing his hardened organ along the gorge of his derriere.

"Leon…" Cloud cried, knowing what was to come.

"Hush," Leon growled faintly. He brushed and rolled his hips along Cloud's rear, pressing the tip of his cock at the bud of Cloud's entrance, still savagely mauling Cloud's neck and leaving marks on the pale pearl-coloured flesh. The blond almost shrieked in pain but managed to quieten himself, biting down into his bottom lip and letting out a muffled scream as Leon pushed himself into the hot, wet and tight tunnel. Leon pulled back slowly, taking in Cloud's pained groans before thrusting back into him hastily, smirking slyly when Cloud could not help but shriek.

"Leon…please…stop…" Cloud's voice sounded like he was on the verge of sobbing from the intense pain. And for a moment…Leon could not help but stop mid thrust. Why? Why did he stop? Why did three words from a hated enemy and a soon-to-be killer make him stop? Why did all of a sudden he _cared_ about whether he was in pain or not? "Le…on…?"

Leon quickly recomposed himself and brought them both to a sitting position, hearing Cloud whimper and cry out of pain and surprise. The king was still inside his concubine. "This is more comfortable for me," Leon muttered, a bit infuriated with himself that for a moment he began to actually care for the ex-prince. He thrusted up; Cloud still cried in pain.

* * *

The pale half-moon light shone into the room, illuminating the shimmering sheen of sweat on Cloud's and Leon's naked bodies, the blond passed out from the pain. It had been like that the first night all those weeks ago, in the turning of months in the season, and now there were reaching the final month of the summer. Leon shook his head slightly.

The blond looked…beautiful…Leon could not deny that fact. But there wasn't the lust or the bitterness in his thought. It was something strange and foreign that governed his thoughts. And there was nothing that seemed to stop them. He turned his head away. "I can't…not right now…" Not when Cloud was plotting to murder him. "I can't…" Not when he was supposed to hate him. "I…can't…" Not when he had done something that his own mother thought was shameful.

He could remember her words now. _"To take anyone's body by force -be they an enemy or just an innocent bystander- is something you should never do. To rely on concubines and prostitutes for an act purely saved for love and devotion is above all wrong."_

"..Such acts should be saved for someone you care about," Leon muttered, remembering the whole speech that had become legendary among the womenfolk of Castle Aura. If a man should approach them in an ardent way, they would quote from the old queen. If anyone were to besmirch her memory, more than likely it would be reported to the king who would have very harsh words and an even harsher punishment ready for them. He chuckled dryly. "I broke my own unwritten law…Hyne forgive me…"


	18. Waiting

**A/N:** For the sake of simplicity, I'm going to skip the review replying because I honestly have to concentrate on exams for the next month and a bit (my Art Exam is a week on Thursday!). So this will probably be my last update until June 11th (my last English exam). INSTEAD, I SHOWER YOU ALL WITH CHOCOLATE, BISCUITS, COOKIES, MUFFINS AND RAINBOWS OF EVERY SHAPE, SIZE, AND FLAVOUR! I also bestow upon you piccus that you may or may not have seen depending if you went to my DeviatArt page via my bio page here. Soooooooo:

The first piece of illustration I ever did for this story (and so far the cover art)  
**angellady. deviantart. com / art / HUS-You-belong-to-me-79266320**

A little Soriku piece of action (supposedly innocent)  
**angellady. deviantart. com / art / HUS-Sweet-Dreams-Sweet-Prince-84162836**

A small spoiler. View if you dare!  
**angellady. deviantart. com / art / HUS-Spoiler-Dalmascan-Riches-84164396**

* * *

**Waiting.** It had been two days of doing just that. Waiting for the perfect moment. Waiting for Leon to let his guard down. Waiting…just waiting.

His days were spent getting close to the barbarian king. Just simple little gestures like soothing his tired muscles or just not insulting him as much as he used to. Eventually, Leon seemed to be a little kinder towards Cloud to, giving him a greater amount of freedom around the castle, albeit Cloud was escorted by at least two guards so that the concubine was protected from further attacks on his being. It was on one of these escorted walks that he had discovered the castle library. He was amazed at the amount of yellowing pages of old texts and the crisp white pieces of parchment -newly printed with a new fangled machine that had been delivered from Lindblum, the kingdom of inventors and machinery, as a gift from their Regent Cid Fabool to Radiant Garden's king- that decked every shelf and every surface available in the large two storey room. He often met Zexion and a few scholarly subjects here, sometimes the stable-master Cid would come here to look up on equine issues, but it was mostly Shera that was in here on his behalf.

Cloud also frequented the garden and the stables, spending time with Fenrir who was kept healthy and happy. He thanked Shera and Cid for that, surprising the shy young woman. Cid gave him a somewhat foulmouthed answer: "Don't be so goddam flattered, you pansy." It wasn't as bad as his usual choice of words, so Cloud assumed that meant Cid had felt some affection towards the concubine. After all, Cloud was pretty fearless and had once or twice shot back with some curse word that made Cid grin with approval. In the garden, he tried to avoid speaking to Riku as much as possible. The silver-haired servant would say nothing though, his time often occupied with the energetic Prince Sora who was still hiding from lessons every now and then. As far as Cloud was concern, Riku, his good friend and advisor, was dead in his eyes.

Sometimes, when Cloud was in the garden, he would hear echoes of his childhood with Roxas. The young boy, although often lonely and clinging always to his older brother, always had that pretty smile on his lips and innocent childish laughter in his voice. Cloud missed those days of being ignorant of the real world, wanting to go back to knowing barely anything at all. They were…somewhat happier then than he was now. And Roxas was alive.

* * *

Pants and faint moans escaped the blond as he clung to the sheets for dear life, the king's heavily muscled body hovering over him and rhythmically thrusting into his lithe slender body, one hand holding his buttock while Cloud's leg was slung over his shoulder, the other fisted into the pillow at the side of Cloud's blond head, grunting a bit in exertion.

"Le…on…" Cloud gasped in urgency. He wasn't excited by Leon. He never came or really felt good during the sex but…he couldn't help but feel the waves of pleasure from it, much to his dismay. He used this to his advantage though, making himself more open to Leon's advances and touches, used his voice to send the king over the edge.

"Cloud…" Leon whispered, giving one final thrust and hearing the pained wince erupt from Cloud's throat.

Cloud felt his insides heat up with hot sticky liquid again, as if he were being stuffed with honey and porridge. He shivered and groaned, pressing his head into the pillow, Leon stiffening above him, panting heavily.

"You…seem to be more willing all of a sudden," Leon breathed heavily.

"I've…learned the knack for it," Cloud rationalized in a whispered tone.

"Hmm…you have become quite good," the king remarked, petting Cloud's hair lightly. A small somewhat kind smile appeared on his features. This was the first time Cloud had _ever_ seen Leon smile at all. Leon always seemed to be constantly smirking or frowning around the concubine. "Would you like to get out?"

"Get…out?"

"You've been stuck in the castle for so long. I'm sure you'd like to see the world outside."

Now this seemed like the perfect chance to Cloud. Leon was openly putting some trust into his concubine, which could mean that either he could escape to Yazoo…or, if Leon came, see this as the perfect opportunity to avenge Hollow Bastion, his father and Roxas. It seemed more likely that Leon would want to go with him in Cloud's eyes.

"Where would I go? I know nothing outside the castle walls…" Cloud pretended to act a bit unsure, averting his eyes to the side so that he wouldn't directly look at Leon.

"Hunting. There is plenty of game in this part of Radiant Garden."

"Hunting?" Now this was becoming even more perfect in Cloud's eyes. It seemed as if the boy deemed as a 'wolf' was going to end all the humiliation and pain he had felt once and for all.

* * *

The morning came as dawn tinged the sky with a light shade of periwinkle blue, signalled by the crowing of the cock. Cloud was now dressed in dark green and brown, as camouflage in their hunt in the forest. A bow hung across his body like a sash and a quiver full of arrows was resting over his shoulder. Cid was tacking up Fenrir, using only one of the basic yet comfortably built models for the rider to sit on while hunting. The bridle was the best leather the tanners could make, built for comfort for long distances for the horses. Even the bit was built for comfort, if not to make it easier for the horse to be controlled by the rider.

"Need a hand to get up, yer ex-'ighness?" Cid asked. 'Yer ex-'ighness' was just one of Cid's taunting nicknames for the concubine, although he was beginning to say them with a bit more fondness.

"I can get on just fine," Cloud retorted, putting a foot into one of the stirrups, ignoring the pain coming from his backside as he pulled himself up, closing his eyes and making a slight face of restraint. Cid nearly howled with laughter.

"And that's why I gave ya a comfy saddle."

"…Thank you…Cid…" Cloud muttered testily. Fenrir seemed to take his side, leaning over to bite Cid but the stable-master gave the mare a quick and firm tap on the nose. Cloud quirked an eyebrow in confusion.

"She's taken to biting. I can't abide a biting horse," Cid shrugged.

He then turned and gave a salute when the king rode into the bailey on his black stallion Griever, decked in the same clothing and equipment as Cloud except he had his lion-headed cross hanging around his neck as usual. The blond's dark-gloved hands tightened a bit around his reins, knowing that the dagger meant to kill the king was hidden in his quiver. The king gave his concubine a nod, a few of the other royal huntsmen sharpening their daggers and fletching their arrows waiting for the two men to come. Cloud followed solemnly, Fenrir's metal shoes clopping against the dirt and stone ground.

* * *

Sora stared long and hard at the hunting party with an annoyed look, having been denied the chance to go. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair at all.

"Sora, you really should be in bed." Riku had just come in, food and one of Vexen's foul yet effective medicines on a tray in hand. The prince had taken ill the night before, vomiting horrid putrid substances flecked with blood in a violent fashion. The prince, however, still pleaded with his brother and king to go with him on the hunt. He was refused.

Grudgingly so, the young prince returned to his bed, frowning with aplomb as he flumped onto his bed, thoroughly annoyed with what life handed to him. Riku chuckled, thinking that his 'little lord' was highly exaggerating his discontent with his brother's refusal to let him join the hunt.

"Continue to frown like that Sora and you will become an old man quicker," Riku laughed gently, having become accustomed to the childish prince's quirks and behaviour.

"But I'll become an old feeble man quicker by not going out for my health anyway!" Sora protested.

Riku shook his head. "The king is only thinking of what's best for you in this condition."

"It's not like I have a cancer of the lung!" Sora scowled.

"You're vomiting blood, and thus going out would not be for the best. It is better to not to aggravate it your illness."

"But I _never_ go out!"

"That's not strictly true, Sora, and you know it."

The young prince pouted childishly, unable to argue with that. He had often sneaked out of the castle to ride Oathkeeper when the lady Kairi paid a visit to one of the royal castles, though he had yet to visit the towns in many important times of the day, such as when the market was on. "But I hardly ever see anything."

"You see the moors. Is that not enough?"

"I want to see _everything_! Not just the moors of this kingdom! I want to go to Balamb, or Galbadia or even Trabia! I want to see the different kingdoms! I can't do that with books and being trapped in the castle!"

Riku paused, seeing where the boy was coming from. The young servant had been fortunate enough to be born into a family where he lived comfortably and yet still had his freedom to roam around the kingdom. He remembered visiting one of the nearby Archadian cities when he was a child, staying close to his older brothers as they spoke politics to a young Lord Vayne. He could remember the enchantment he had with seeing another culture. He understood that Sora may have been disenchanted by all the wonderful things that were given to him as gifts from other kingdoms because it was only a small part of something so much bigger and brighter. And like a child, Sora was curious to see even more of it. He patted the sickly boy's hand affectionately, placing the tray down. "One day, you'll be able to do all that. But you need to do everything to keep yourself healthy."

"You really think so?" Sora brightened up immediately, beaming with his smile that shone as brightly as the summer sun high in the sky.

"Yes. Now take this." Riku held up the vial of the foul concoction that Sora loathed with every fibre of his being. The young prince pouted, curling his nose in disgust at the sickly green liquid that dully glimmered in the sunlight. "Don't make that face Sora."

"But it's foul!"

"It will make you better."

"I still don't like it."

"And I still beseech you to take it."

Sora sighed. Riku undid the stopper, tapping Sora's lip to open. The young prince reluctantly obeyed, opening his plump faintly pink lips as the servant pressed the lip of the vial to the prince's mouth. He tipped the glass slowly, watching the vile green liquid run down to the awaiting cavern, quickly clamping Sora's mouth shut to force him to swallow and stop him from gagging it up. The prince made a face, squeezing his eyes shut. Riku released him, knowing what would come after this.

"Eugh…it tastes awful! What on earth is it made from?"

Riku placed the vial to his nose, sniffing the rank stench. "Nettle…fennel…a little bit of bitter root…oh, and I guess he's ground some lemon grass from one of the more tropical kingdoms as well."

"Really?" Sora's face shone in curiosity. "I didn't know he had foreign medical plants too."

"Well, he must have learned new ways of healing and doctoring. It's keeping you healthy after all," Riku chuckled. "Every kingdom does have their different methods after all."

"Which kingdom do you think has the best doctors?" Sora asked quizzically.

"Good question. Maybe you should ask Lord Vexen."

"But what's your opinion?"

"I'm a servant. I have no opinions."

"You must do!"

"Forgive me for asking, but why are you so interested in what I have to say?"

"Because you're the only other person that doesn't boss me around or goes around calling me 'Prince! Prince!'" Sora replied truthfully. "Now what is your opinion?"

Riku shook his head, chuckling quietly. Truly, this prince was definitely unlike the four brothers from Hollow Bastion. None of them, not even Roxas who was reputed to have such a fickle temper at the best of times, would even bother asking how their servants were. Maybe the reversal of roles would make them understand more. Maybe. But he would still be a traitor in their eyes. "My opinion is…that Lindblum might have the best doctors since they are so technologically advanced."

"I think Midgar has the best doctors. They have a lot of accidents I heard and yet none of them die."

"Maybe, but don't they have close bonds with Linblum?"

"Oh yes…"

Riku shook his head and chuckled. "Well that answers that question."

"Is there anywhere you want to go in the world?" Sora asked quickly, not wanting to end their conversation.

"Not in particular."

"Wutai? Lindblum? Balamb? I really want to go to Balamb! I hear it's such an exiting port town! What about Dalmasca? I heard that it's a really beautiful kingdom from the visitors that come here!"

"And I hear that little princes don't get better if they don't rest," Riku tittered, pushing the young prince down to his pillows. "Rest now."

"But…I'm not tired."

"Doesn't matter. Lord Vexen gave strict orders that you are to be fed, given your medicine and have plenty of bed rest. Now, rest. I'll feed you."

"Fine," Sora pouted. "But we still have to talk!"

"If that's what you wish."

* * *

Out in the moors, the hunting party had had a good haul in the morning. Several rabbits were caught by the dogs, and a red stag and two roe does were shot by the king and the hunters. Cloud felt exhilarated, the chase having fed his young blood with adrenaline, feeling like he could achieve anything.

Now, they were resting on one of the rocky hills, one of the caught rabbits being skinned for the open fire while the king sat and rested on a white rock, looking out into one of the bogs that were part of his homeland. Cloud too looked out to the landscape, never having seen moor land or bogs in his life. He was used to seeing fields upon fields of golden wheat and meadows filled with spring and summer flowers of his own homeland. To see such a desolate place flecked lavender with bushels of heather was foreign to the former prince, and yet the ruggedness of the landscape compared to the orderly and gentle landscape of Hollow Bastion seemed even more charming. Truly, Leon really was the barbarian king over wild lands. Looking at the king's face showed a kind of inner peace within his facial structure looking upon his lands.

For a moment, Cloud's resolve seemed to leave him. And then he reminded himself of his mission. He had to do this…for his brother's memory if not for anything else.

Roxas was not in the least bit happy. There were a few reasons for this. For one, he had to stand in his room stark naked for a good long while some of his Trabian servant friends had volunteered themselves to check that his clothes were not poisoned. Roxas had found out that Trabians were incredibly protective over their friends, especially when they were as young as he was.

For another, he was not allowed to have his food until everything he was given had been tasted, again by Trabians who had volunteered willingly. Roxas was beginning to wonder how many men and women who volunteered to be food tasters in the royal household had died. Surely there had been cases of poisoning even in the House of Strife…Roxas just never thought of them until now.

And now…Axel had pretty much enforced Roxas to accompany his sister, Kairi of Aurelias, to go to market in the far by town of Aura. With some of Axel's men of course.

"My lady, just why do _I_ have to come as well?"

"I bet you've never seen market day," Kairi assumed, avoiding the question.

"Well, no, but I-"

"Then see it as a way to become friends with you," Kairi beamed, looking over her shoulder. The lady was now wearing garbs expected of her; a long red overdress with bell shaped sleeves over a white woollen under-dress, but she wore no make up or extensive jewels and had her hair untied and flowing, preferring to wear muddy brown riding boots over the fashionable pointed court shoes that all the ladies were wearing. Roxas was wearing a deep blue tunic and tan trousers with dark leather boots, no decals or decoration on any of the items as he didn't want to attract attention. It was probably best considering his older brother had had a brush with death fairly recently.

"Lady Kairi…"

The crimson-haired girl frowned at that. She was another member of the nobility that wasn't fond of being called by her title but she would let it slide for now.

"Maybe we should buy something for Axel? He seems to have worn out all of his tunics from working in the fields and what not…"

"Axel works in the fields?"

"At harvest time and sometimes at planting time. He doesn't believe in letting the people do all the hard work while he sits in luxury."

"Oh." Oh indeed. Had Roxas ever thought of that either? He never lifted a finger to help around the castle. There were always servants. And yet Axel, who had plenty of men to take care of the lands for him, would willingly get his hands dirty and help his people. What kind of person did that make him, a former prince, then?

"Yes. He needs a new tunic to work in. Luxord was complaining about wanting to throw a few told ones away. He'll appreciate it. Now is there anything else we need…?"

Roxas could not think of anything else…but his mind wandered back to the flame-haired man that he now called 'lord' and 'master'.

* * *

Cloud questioned how he was put into this position. The king's head was resting on his lap, the rest of his body lying on the ground, looking up at the sky. Cloud at first wanted to push him off and yell at the king for being so audacious but then remembered his position, grumpily allowing it. He swore he saw a hint of a smirk on the sovereign's face, and oh how he longed to swipe it off.

But he would wait. For now. He would deal with the sniggers from the hunters. He would deal with the shame. He would wait for the perfect moment to strike.

It was during these thoughts that the king stirred and sat up, having heard one of the hunters hissing that a roe stag as walking about in the valley below them. Cloud looked down into the valley, seeing the proud creature strut about, fearless of what will happen to him.

"Cloud, follow me," Leon ordered quietly, grasping his bow and shouldering his quiver. Cloud grabbed his own set, quietly following the king. The concubine could see just how good a chance this would have been to kill the king had it not been for the fact that the hunters were watching their every move. He took slow, careful steps after the king, both of them hunched low to the ground so not to spook the proud animal. As they got closer, Leon lifted his hand slightly, signalling him to stop his movement. Slowly, painfully slow, he brought his bow up and pulled out an arrow from his quiver, propping it against the smooth curved wood. Carefully, he pulled back the taut bowstring to his cheek, aiming for the heart

"Leon?"

"Hush."

"Why did you ask me to come with you?"

"You're backing me up, so get your weapon ready."

"Oh…!" Cloud exclaimed as quietly as he could, fumbling to get his bow and arrows ready to kill just in case. He could make it look like an accident…but that would be unlikely because Cloud had been trained for war so he couldn't make a mistake. He aimed for the stag, imagining it wearing the king's crown and royal pendant.

"Shoot only if I miss. Shoot as fast as you can and don't let it get away," Leon whispered.

"If I do, the meat will be destroyed. I know."

"Good. I expect you to know that."

Cloud said nothing in response, holding the bow string as tight as he could, eyeing the stag. Leon let fly his arrow, watching it sail down to the stag, its course straight and true.

The stag was hit in the breast, causing it to panic and cry out in pain. It tried to sprint away but Cloud let go of his arrow, watching it rush to the hind quarters of the stag, effectively stopping the stag from getting away. Leon leapt up and ran after the now limping stag, bringing his sword out. Cloud could only watch.

Leon was swift. Even when carrying that long heavy sword with the strange curved hilt he was fast on his two feet, catching up with the injured stag with relative ease as it tried to hobble in its will to escape. With a fleeting strike, the deer was stilled, falling the ground as blood seeped through its three wounds, its head lolling about in the grass, merely held to its body by its unbroken bones. Cloud and the hunters ran to catch up, seeing the king having one foot on the corpse while he wiped his sword clean with long blades of grass. Leon looked up as they approached them. "This makes the fourth deer we've captured and killed, correct?"

"Yes, milord," one hunter confirmed dutifully.

The barbarian king nodded, sheathing his sword and then bending down to lift the corpse up onto his shoulder, uncaring for the blood. He would bathe later on. "Then I think we should return to the castle. Get the horses ready."

The hunters bowed, hurrying back up the hill. The king and the concubine slowly walked up, Leon slightly ahead of Cloud. His back was unprotected. Again, another perfect chance. But, once more, too risky to take.

"Plotting of ways to kill me?"

"What?" Cloud jumped when he heard those words slip from the king's lips. Did he know what was planned for him?

"You're silent. Silence makes me anxious."

"Why?"

"Because my life is always fraught with danger. I never know when I could breathe my last."

"Then why do you come out then if you're worried about being killed?"

"Cloud…for a king, no place is safe. Not even the bed he sleeps in," Leon said wisely, moving up the hill.

Little did he know just how true his words were. Cloud was left following him in silence, wondering if the man he hated knew of the plot that was meant to take his life.

* * *


	19. Musing

**A/N:** Geez, I spoil you guys! OK, I've gotten rid of my art exams, and I have my English retake this time next week, and yet I have managed to get you guys an update for HUS (weeks earlier than I said I could be able to). So, I give you this. Anyways, quick review replies!

Ryuu: I know. I wanted him to be an annoying sadistic bastard at first  
hollowFAERIE: Well, I'm not sure about Cloud finding out...but something may just waver his killer intentions though -chuckles-

And that's all from me! Please read and enjoy! And review! For they are my strawberry and chocolate tarts!

* * *

**Musing. **Leon had that feeling that Cloud was deliberating over something. The king knew what it was. He had intentionally let on that he knew what the concubine was planning. Surely that would throw the blond's plans awry. As he thought, the silence between him and the concubine spoke volumes.

Griever underneath him started to get restless, something having troubled him. Leon tightened his grip on the reins, trying to soothe the spooked horse.

"My liege?"

"It's nothing," Leon muttered absently, not understanding himself why Griever was so uneasy. "It's probably just the wind."

If it was the wind, Griever was indeed very disturbed by it. The black stallion was on the verge of bolting but his master's steady hand kept him from going. The hunters tried to calm down the stallion but nothing would calm him, as if he sensed danger nearby.

"My liege, maybe it's best if you allowed one of us to-" The unfortunate hunter's sentence was cut short as he fell forwards in front of the horse, an arrow protruding in his back. Griever whinnied in a panic, trying once more to bolt but Leon kept a steady hand. Cloud on Fenrir behind them went white in shock, automatically controlling his panicking mare that was on the verge of bolting too.

"Find the archer!" Leon barked, immediately identifying this as an assassination attempt. The hunters scrambled, deciphering the path of the arrow and then yelling as they spotted the culprit. Leon grabbed Cloud's reins, pulling him close. "Your doing?" Cloud shook his head slowly. "I would hope so."

"Why?"

"Don't ask stupid questions," Leon snapped, having no knowledge himself as to why he said that he _hoped_ Cloud wasn't responsible. The hunters soon came back, dragging their struggling archer by the neck with his bow, a few of their arrows aimed at his being. Leon jumped off Griever, giving the horse to one of his hunters and taking his sword with the strange curved hilt out, pointing it to the archer.

"Murder in broad daylight is a hanging offence. Attempted regicide is worth a far more painful and humiliating punishment," Leon stated in a very low voice. He noted that the archer was not wearing Trabian garbs, since Trabian rebels were the usual suspects. Often impetuous youths. This man was older having grown a beard, his tunic dirty but something caught the young king's eye. "Wait…what's that?!" He grabbed the man by the tunic, eyeing the small emblem that had been carefully embroidered onto the man's tunic in grey. The symbol of the Strife eagle surrounded by stars. "You're from Hollow Bastion?"

Cloud visibly paled, hiding his face away in shame. A man from his own kingdom had come here to assassinate Leon. He could not let the man see what had happened to the once proud prince.

"I came to avenge my homeland!" the man proclaimed proudly, eyes glowing. "Hollow Bastion will never submit!"

"Even though your royal family is in ruins?" Leon questioned, mentally taking note to send a message to Lexaeus to thoroughly punish any man who dared show loyalty to the ruined House of Strife. And to sought out any followers of the House of Jenova.

"I was an archer in the king's army and I would have willingly gone with the third prince's forces! My loyalty to them will never die!"

"Then it will die with you," Leon growled darkly.

"Kill me! It will be a small glory for Hollow Bastion!"

"Not here," Leon smirked. "I'm sure your precious 'prince' would be deeply disturbed to see you killed before him." He grabbed the man by his hair and stepped aside, showing the blond to him. The man was rendered mute, his eyes in disbelief. "Take him away. A night in the dungeon might make him a bit more repentant."

The king sheathed his sword, striding back to Griever and mounting the horse, taking the reins and trotting off back into the direction of the castle. The man was dragged along, often beaten with the hunters' bows if he tried to fight, while the other hunters carried their fallen comrade mournfully. Cloud followed silently, head bowed, looking to the ground below. One of his own people now knew the truth of their fallen third prince. He felt…ashamed to be even here, in the presence of him.

He wanted to die.

* * *

Roxas sighed, watching Kairi look around the market stalls with a vigour that she had for all the "male" activities her brother allowed her to take part in. He wondered when on earth Kairi was ever more…meek and docile as expected from young noble ladies.

Then again, this was the sister of the bizarre and wild Axel. There was obviously not much hope for the womenfolk of the family.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" The crimson-haired girl turned to face Roxas, a huge grin on her face. "The king's birthday is coming up so we're expected to attend. So that'll mean you'll get to see your brother and your friend again."

"Really?" Roxas exclaimed, suddenly remembering that his brother's birthday was fast approaching as well.

"Yes. It's only fair since you've acted as the model squire for Axel." Kairi giggled, thinking how much the former prince looked like a puppy at hearing the news. "Plus, our people adore you. They'd do anything to see you smile."

"What do you mean? I'm just an enemy to them."

"They don't see you like that. You've become one of them."

Roxas fell silent, mulling over those words. "They do?"

"Yes," Kairi grinned broadly. "They do."

"But why?"

"Maybe because you don't act like the pretentious prince anymore."

"Was I pretentious?"

"To an extent."

"Oh."

"This change kind of suits you," Kairi observed. She then made a sharp 'oh!' "I forgot to get the new tunic! Wait here please!" She scuttled off to the market stalls, leaving the poor blond behind near the town's tavern, _The Lion and the Wolf_. Roxas made a face, not fond of waiting for others even though he was grudgingly becoming used to it. It was at that moment, he felt eyes on him. And a soft ethereal voice echoed in the halls of his minds as he remembered who it belonged to.

"Well, well, well…"

"Yazoo…" Roxas barely turned, eyes widening a bit in fear. If there was any family that Roxas had grown affrighted off, it was the House of Jenova. Yazoo's calmness unnerved him greatly out of the three younger brothers. Sephiroth terrified him. He could not understand why his family trusted them so much with how their kingdom was run.

"So the little prince lives after all. I thought you would've been worked to death since you're so pampered."

Roxas didn't turn, but spoke instead, "I'm much more resilient than everyone gives me credit for."

"Indeed." A sound of Yazoo's anelace being unsheathed rang in Roxas' ear. "Maybe I should rid the world of you right now."

Roxas turned quickly, bringing out the rondel that Kairi had issued him just in case he were to ever get into a situation. Combat was generally forbidden in towns and villages like Aura but that didn't stop many of the townsfolk and peasantry from possessing a weapon just in case thieves or outlaws assaulted them. Just as Yazoo's anelace came down in a stabbing motion, Roxas quickly jumped backwards and parried the attack, standing in the combat ready position Axel had taught him for hours on end. Inwardly, he was grateful Axel was teaching him how to fight. Yazoo raised a brow. "My, my…being taught how to fight. How queer."

"What do you want?" Roxas demanded, not noticing the crowd that was gathering around them.

"And why should I tell the boy that will only get in the way of our plans?"

"'Our plans?'"

Yazoo lunged forward, leaving no time to give Roxas the answers Yazoo was determined to hide. The young squire quickly drew up his rondel and blocked the attack, parrying it with a flick of his wrist and taking quick steps back. The noise of the crowd was blocked out by Roxas' mind as the memories of what Axel had taught him instinctively came into play. Yazoo was impressed, to say the least.

"Who's your teacher? He's turned you around from pampered lapdog to amateur dueller in a month."

Roxas didn't answer, going straight for a lunge only to be sidestepped and grabbed from behind, the anelace at his throat.

"Not well enough thou-" Yazoo screeched, releasing the blond and turning to slash at whoever dared attack him from behind, clashing his anelace with another blade. Roxas looked up, and saw it had been Kairi who had come to the rescue, stiletto in her dominant hand, sword-breaker in the main-gauche, having securely trapped Yazoo's anelace.

"How dare you attack in broad daylight!" Kairi yelled, her eyes narrowed into lavender-blue slits. Yazoo made a disinterested click of his tongue and grabbed the girl by her neck, causing her to shriek in surprise. Roxas jumped up to save her but the silver-haired man threw Kairi into him, knocking the two youths to the ground. No one tried to get involved. They were not warriors and soldiers. They were normal townspeople who could not fight. Those who could did not want to cross blades with an obviously far more experienced warrior. Instead, they panicked like headless chickens. Roxas tried to get Kairi behind him but the girl was proving to be stubborn, holding her weapons up, ready for the next attack. Yazoo's knife came slicing down.

It did not even scratch either youth, instead hitting something wooden. Kairi made a gaping sound, her eyes wide. Roxas fell silent, seeing what looked like a stave keeping the anelace still. Yazoo glared at the one who dared to get involved, seeing that it was the muscular form of the mute Captain of the Royal Guards. The youths slowly stood up, taking steps away from the two men.

"'Scuse me! Coming through! Get out of my way! Captain's right-hand man needing to assist!" A loud voice proclaimed, the crowd parting immediately as a young man with a shock of blond hair, bright blue eyes and a strange facial mark on the side of his impish face made his way over, his hands curled into fists.

Captain Ward of the Royal Guards was one of close friends of the previous king of Radiant Garden. He was also the first mute to command over the Royal Guards, having lost his voice in a far off battle, receiving the scar on the side of his face in that very same battle. He was often in armour and carried a war hammer, but on the days he was not he would wear casual dress and carried a stave but his hair was always covered, to the extent that no one knew what colour hair he had. Beside him always, ever since he had been omitted into the Royal Guards as a wet-behind-the-ears foot soldier from the army, eighteen-year-old Zell Dincht of the citadel of Borealis had become Ward's right hand man and translator when Kiros, the only other person who could understand what the mute wanted to say, was unable to translate. Unusually enough, Zell preferred to fight using his fists rather than a sword, so special gloves were made for him, though he also wielded a mace from time to time.

Zell spoke to the silver-haired man. "Engaging in combat during peace time is a looked down upon in this kingdom, and it is an offence that can lead to an execution at the very worst."

Ward made a hard face, not removing his stave from his hold. Yazoo glared at him. "My apologies…I did not know." He withdrew his weapon, sending a glance to Roxas that made it clear that he had been lucky this time, but he would not be next time. Ward stood in front of the youths, Zell slightly behind him.

"The Captain suggests you leave right now before we are forced to arrest you." There was a slightly mischievous smile on his face. "Unless you want an audience with the king, Sir Yazoo."

Yazoo snarled, something that was very unlike him, as he briskly turned on his heel and left. Roxas looked a bit startled, in disbelief that they had recognized him. Ward heaved a silent sigh, turning around to look at the two youths. Zell turned too, but was more concerned about Kairi. "Milady, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Kairi dismissed, brushing the dust off her clothes. "But who was that Yazoo?" In the background, Ward was clearing the townsfolk off.

"Someone that's becoming a pest to us," Zell sighed. "He's managed to sneak into the castle twice now."

"Twice?!" Kairi exclaimed.

"Cloud…" Roxas' mind raced at the thought. "What about Cloud?"

"He's fine. Though I think he doesn't know about Yazoo. I'm never told of these things." Zell frowned at Ward. "Not even the Captain will tell me what's going on."

And at that, Roxas was thoroughly worried. What was going on in Aurea Castle?

* * *

Meanwhile, in Aurea Castle, the prince had finally been put to rest after tiring himself out with getting stories out of his otherwise silent servant. Riku chuckled quietly, watching the young prince sleep, his eyelids fluttering slightly as his eyes darted about underneath them, dreaming of the worlds Riku had described to him.

"He really just wants to see the world," Riku murmured softly, brushing a few stray locks of hair out of his face. "And to see other people too." It just seemed such a shame that Sora's body seemed to stop him from fulfilling the dreams he had confessed to Riku. The silver-haired youth watched him for a long while, from time to time brushing soft locks of hair of his forehead.

"He may be sick…but he is beautiful," Riku observed in a quiet whisper, his luminous green eyes softening a bit. Truth be told, he had begun to become very much attached to the young boy…maybe in a way that would be frowned upon. But it was a secret no one else would know. It wouldn't hurt them.

Slowly, cautiously, he leaned down a little bit, his fingers tenderly touching the young prince's forehead. Closing his eyes, he pressed his lips against the fevered smooth brow gently, his hand falling down to the prince's cheek. "Sleep well…little prince," Riku whispered quietly, pulling away at long last.

Slowly and silently, he left the room, wondering if Sora would think of it a dream if he had felt it.

* * *

Just then, the hunters with their captive and the corpse of the fallen comrade had returned, the king and his concubine solemnly leading them home. Cloud had been silent throughout, thinking over the day's events. If this man had come all this way and failed, what chance did he have? Cloud was beginning to think that this plan Yazoo had come up with was flawed in so many ways. And yet it was the only way towards freedom.

There was a yell of surprise. Cloud turned around, seeing the rebel grabbing his bow and an arrow and aiming at the former prince. "For honour!" He released the shot before he was tackled to the ground by the hunters.

The arrow did not hit its target. "Argh!"

Cloud's eyes widened as he saw Leon's tall form shielded the blond from the arrow, the offending weapon protruding from his shoulder. "Le-Leon?!"

The king ignored him, jumping off Griever, pulling the arrow out of his shoulder and striding purposefully to the still struggling rebel. To the king, mercy was a brief thing that was only earned once by any criminal. And when it came to Cloud, mercy was very easily lost. Faster than anyone could say something to stop the king, Leon's foreign sword was pushed through the rebel's heart, killing the man almost instantly. Leon's eyes were raging hurricanes of flame, staring at the dead man. The hunters were too afraid to approach him.

"M-my liege," one hunter spoke timidly.

"Have the man tossed into the mire. He can be judged for his crimes in hell."

No one dared to disobey him, scuttling away with the second corpse to a local mire. The other body was brought inside the castle, so the family could mourn over it.

Cloud looked at Leon for a long while, in shock of what had happened.

He saved his life? Why?

* * *

It bothered the blond greatly as he thought over what the king had done that day. It also affected his will to kill Leon. It was flailing more and more everyday, with every little bit of trust and show of protection the king had given him. And now…Cloud was unsure if he could go through with it.

At that point, Leon came into the room, his shoulder and arm bandaged tightly after a visit to Vexen. Cloud looked over to him, confusion written in his eyes.

"Why did you save me?" he asked quietly. "You could've let me die today."

Leon glanced at him, confused himself as to why he stepped in to save Cloud's life. But he couldn't let the concubine know his own plight.

"I'll protect any person who is in my kingdom with my life, whether they are a spoil of war serving as a concubine or not," Leon reasoned stoically. "That includes you Cloud."

Cloud watched him for a long while, taking the answer in. Leon sighed, walking past the concubine. "Apologies if it damaged your pride somehow but I'm in no mood to lose my belongings." He then made a surprised grunt as he felt a weight lean against his back. He looked over his shoulder. "Cloud?"

"I…was afraid…" Cloud admitted, truly meaning it. He was afraid for his own life sure but when Leon took the arrow to protect the blond, Cloud had never felt more scared in his life, and for an enemy no less. What did this mean? Cloud wanted to convince himself it was because he wanted to kill Leon himself but now…he wasn't so sure.

Leon was surprised by the soft words that were filled with meaning. Whether it was pretend or not, the king wasn't sure, but for some reason, he felt touched by them. He turned around slowly, putting his hands on Cloud's shoulders, searching the boy's eyes. "…you mean it?"

A slow nod of the blond's head. Yes. He did mean it, strangely enough. Leon's face softened a bit into a smile, one hand trailing up to the younger male's cheek and the other falling down to his back. "You continue to go against my expectations."

Cloud couldn't help but smirk slightly. "I guess…that's all I'm good for."

"If that were, you would be a court jester, not a concubine."

"Should I try to get that position?"

"No." Leon wasn't too fond of giving Cloud a licence to mock him. "I prefer you in my bed." He pushed the blond to the bed, pinning him to the sumptuous sheets. Cloud made no move to protest, having become used to this, but there seemed to be the tiniest bit of colouring in his usually pale cheeks. "Much prefer you here…" He slid a hand up the boy's tunic, feeling the finely toned muscle underneath the palms of his hands, watching the boy writhe beneath him.

"Leon…" Cloud whispered quietly, somehow…finding this a bit more enjoyable than the usual forced sex. His body arched to Leon's hand, his skin flushing hotly as trails of liquid fire danced down his body. "Leon…"

The hand trailed further down, sliding underneath the concubine's trousers and cupping the naked, erect flesh. "My, you're stiff," Leon chuckled, slightly in cruel jest. Cloud shuddered and groaned, glaring at Leon a bit. The king smirked a bit, hovering over the younger boy. "Since you've been so kind, I'll be a bit gentler this time."

"How generous," Cloud shivered, not believing that he was giving into his enemy.

"Would you rather I was rough?"

Cloud shook his head, feeling the woollen trousers being taken off and his legs being lifted to a good position.

"Then don't do something that will make me change my mind," Leon whispered quietly, slipping himself into Cloud's entrance, watching the boy shudder and cry. "And enjoy…this might be the only time I'm kind to you."

Cloud couldn't remember much after that, his voice moaning and crying into the silent air of the room, Leon's grunts joining with his in the hot and humid atmosphere.


	20. Freedom

**A/N:** Back again! And here I have for you the twentieth chapter (party party woot woot!). One hopes it'll be a good one! So please enjoy!

**Ryuu:** You know, just because I read about a grand total of 5 volumes of Gravitation doesn't mean to say everything I do will be sunshine and roses. I'm THINKING of doing a character death. I just don't know IF I will do it. This is medieval warring times, man. The course of true love never does run smooth...especially if you're two blokes...especially if you're two blokes who hate each other...yeah...  
**bliss:** So am I (happyhappygrin)  
**Lokki Abumi:** Take your time with the art piece! No rush XD! And I think I did well in that retake (I wouldn't say I aced it but I'm pretty sure that third time's the charm -thumbsup-)  
Woot: You can bet your bottom dollar that something unexpected will happen!  
**Riku's Fond Memories**_ and _**Black Wolfess:** The fluff only lasts for so long -shakes head sagely- only for so long...

Ok, you're probably going to eat me alive for one reason or another but...please read and enjoy! Reviews are my snow-white jelly with strawberries (it does exist! I found it in a japanese cook book!)

* * *

**Freedom.** Cloud repeated the word over and over again throughout this day. It was the day that Yazoo's and his plot would come into fruition. And yet, his mind was plagued by uncertainty, many factors from the last couple of days and his own thoughts creating doubt in his troubled head.

For one, he was still reeling after giving himself up so easily to Leon's dissolute methods of making him submit. And actually enjoying it much to his dismay. Then there were the small moments of kindness Leon showed to Cloud from time to time. Such as being oddly gentle or allowing him his freedom. It was making Cloud's want to kill him wane.

Then there was the thought of being reunited with the people of Hollow Bastion. Would they really welcome him with open arms if they knew what had become of him? There was no doubt in his mind that Sephiroth would make it seem like Cloud had been an unwilling companion in the king's bed and yet…what if he would not truly be accepted? There was also the fact that Yazoo, for all his brains and careful deliberations, had planned a murder scheme that was so full of holes that it was incredibly risky. What if he failed?

The only thing that seemed to keep his resolve firm was the memory of Roxas. That sweet child had died…for nothing. He had sacrificed himself to be with Cloud that fateful battle, and now had paid the price. And Cloud would not rest until his young brother was avenged. He absolutely could not, and would not, do such a travesty against his brother.

If his fate was to die at the hands of Radiant Garden, then he would die avenging Roxas. Then maybe, he would get some form of redemption for his honour and his pride.

* * *

Zexion sharpened his dirk, watching the cold steel glimmer in the candlelight as he sat in the dimly lit guards' post. A group of men were waiting for orders, spears and swords ready, eyes sharp and bodies protected by leather breastplates and guards. Zell looked over to him, mace hanging off his back but wearing his specially made gloves with welded metal guards. "So…you're saying that this 'Yazoo' guy will turn up tonight?"

"He will. If the off chance that Cloud does kill the king happens, he will try to make an escape to the Archadian kingdom with Yazoo," Zexion re-itinerated. He then sighed. "But I could tell that Cloud's just being used as a pawn in a complicated game of chess between us and the Jenova family…maybe they are pawns themselves to an even greater opponent."

"Huh?" Zell looked at him with confusion. The captain's right hand man was not known for his intelligence. He was more known for his fists and fighting ability. "In simple English?"

"Our main enemy is uncertain," Zexion muttered, pondering over the possibilities of the Archadian Empire plotting ways of taking down the ever growing Radiant Garden Empire.

It was entirely plausible. After all, the Archadian Empire had been well established long before any of the young important members of court were born. The rise of a rival empire would affect its already doddering trade routes with independent kingdoms, and Dalmasca, supposedly one of the richer kingdoms with its skilled craftsmen and wealth of materials for pottery and stonework, was now fully capable of turning back the Archadian's forces with a powerful ally at its side. It was no wonder that Terms of Peace were being drawn up by the Archadians. Though Zexion had a feeling that such a document was only going to be a temporary measure for the stalemate between the two empires. How long would it last, even the advisor was unsure of.

"Why chess?" Zell asked, thoroughly confused.

"It's just an analogy for this war game."

"Oh…"

"Well, can't ponder over it for too long. You there, report to the castle wall guards. Their orders are to double the patrol and keep a sharp eye out for a rider and possibly two horses outside the walls. The rest of you, we will use the escape tunnels into the ditch and surprise attack our trespasser if he dares to show up."

"Sir!" the room echoed with the shouts of men, the sounds of clinking armour fading into the air.

* * *

Cloud was staring at Leon's sleeping form, sapphire eyes looking very troubled in the light of the full moon. The king seemed so peaceful, even though he was in a dreamless sleep. He had to kill the monarch, or take his own life if he failed his mission. But could he do either was the question. Taking a deep breath, he slid out of the bed they had shared on numerous occasions, sometimes forced, sometimes willingly, but either way Cloud had felt some sort of humiliation. Very carefully, he padded over to the bearskin rug, pulling out the dagger that had been concealed in its head, the glittering emerald eye of the coil snake on the handle looking at him encouragingly. He kissed the blade, praying for success or a swift death if Hyne forbade Leon's life to be taken.

Slowly, he travelled back to the bed, pulling the covers back to reveal the king's naked chiselled chest. Those were muscles that had defeated him so many times before, both in battle and in bed. Now he was going to still them, once and for all. He raised the knife, looking at the king with a faltering determination that he always tried to reconstruct at every chance, only for it to crumble once again.

"I have to do this," he muttered quietly to himself. "This is for Roxas."

The knife plunged down to the soft flesh that protected the king's heart.

Leon's eyes opened.

* * *

Zexion pushed at the soft turf that blocked the way out of the escape tunnel, his clothes and face dirty from the mud and sweat. His eyes, now used to the darkness, flicked from side to side, ever wary for the presence of the still mysterious "Yazoo". Once sure that all was quiet, he crawled out of the tunnel and into the wide ditch that acted as a moat in the rainy seasons. Crawling on his belly, Zell and the rest of the armed guard crawled out, silent as shadows in the dark of night.

If Yazoo was as clever as Cloud seemed to believe, then Yazoo was going to find out the consequences of being lax with his plots and planning.

Cloud stared at the hand that had gripped his wrist, the still clean blade merely scratching the skin of the king's chest. His heart raced as storm-grey eyes met sapphire-blue, his face emotionless and yet there was a smug look in his eyes that told Cloud that Leon had known all along. The blond retreated, forcing his hand away and putting the blade to his neck. Leon sat up, looking at him for a good long moment.

"What are you doing?" he asked, quietly.

"It's a death penalty to try to commit regicide," Cloud answered, trying to stay calm, but his voice was anything but that. "I'll save your executioners some valuable rope…or maybe even spare them from blunting their axes."

"Put the dagger down," Leon ordered, seeing that sparkling emerald eye of the serpent-headed dagger.

"Why? Want to humiliate me even death? Have your people degrade my corpse even further? Why bother?"

"If I wanted to degrade you even further, I would've let you kill yourself anyway." Leon only gave half the answers. He never said why he was bothering to keep Cloud alive.

"Then let me go! You've taken everything away from me except my life!

"What's that supposed to mean? I understand that I conquered your home, took you away from it and separated you from your brother but-"

"My brother's dead!" Cloud yelled at him, the blade shaking in his hold. "He's dead! And I wasn't even there to protect him!"

"If your brother was dead, Sir Axel would have told me."

"He's dead! He's dead!" Cloud was shrieking at this point, still shakily holding the blade to his throat. "It's all my fault…it's all my fault…"

"The former fourth prince of Hollow Bastion was spotted with Lady Kairi of Aurelias yesterday in Aura Town Market Square," Leon reported, crossing his arms across his chest, watching Cloud's shocked reaction. "He had been attacked by a man known as Yazoo of the House of Jenova, who we have reason to believe has trespassed on the castle grounds several times now. Does the name ring any bells?"

Cloud's eyes widened, unsure of what was now going on. All that mattered was…Roxas was alive. "Roxas…alive?"

Leon nodded his head. "I would've allowed you to see him…but I'm afraid I had to treat you differently."

"So how long did you know?"

"Zexion followed Yazoo one night."

Cloud nodded his head, feeling the tip of the blade tickle his Adam's apple. "It still doesn't change the fact that I tried to kill you…"

"True. But it doesn't help me if my concubine is the only one who can tell me more about the Jenova family and he's lying dead on the floor."

"Roxas knows enough."

"Not as much as you do." Leon slowly stood up, reaching out to Cloud. "I need you to stay alive."

Cloud took a step back, holding the handle with both shaking hands. "I'm not going to do what you want."

"Do you really want to die that much?"

"Yes!"

"Be honest with yourself," Leon said calmly, only a long pace separating him and the otherwise hysterical blond. "Do you really want to die, knowing that your brother is still alive? Do you want to abandon him and make him lose someone who is incredibly important to him? Do you want to leave him alone in this world?"

Cloud took a deep breath, pulling the blade away slightly at the thought of Roxas being left alone. Leon slowly wrapped a hand around his right wrist, pulling it away from his neck and then forcing the concubine to drop the dagger with a sharp twist and flick of his own wrist. The dagger clattered to the floor, the emerald eye seething in the light, as if angry that it had been cheated of blood. And it didn't matter whose blood it had spilt. Cloud let out a pained wince.

"I can't let you go unpunished though," Leon whispered quietly, no amount of smugness or arrogance in his voice. There wasn't even pity or sympathy. His voice was barren of emotion, just like the landscape of his kingdom was barren of grains that could be grown for food.

"Then have me executed."

"I already told you. I can't." Leon looked at him with stormy eyes that were devoid of feeling. "This…is for your own good."

"My own good? My own good?! Since when have you cared about 'my own good'?!"

"For a while," Leon muttered, hearing guards clattering outside. Cloud gave him a pleading look.

"Just let me go. They'll kill me on the spot. Just let me go and save you all the hassle."

"No." The guards burst in, immediately surrounding Cloud, roughly grabbing him by the arms, uncaring that he was stark naked. They had their eyes averted from their king though. He too was without clothing.

"My liege, what is your orders?"

"We'll have him hanged for plotting treason!"

"Hanging's too good for him! We'll have him burnt!"

"Silence!" Leon bellowed, watching the guards freeze at the sound of their king raise his voice. "If I want your advice on how to dispatch would-be assassins, I'll ask for it!" He then turned his eyes on Cloud, who looked at him as if he were trying to regain any pride within him. "Take him to the dungeons. Tell the torturers to prepare their gift from Bhujerba to be used. And for pity's sake, put some clothes on him. There are ladies here who would be disturbed at seeing a man being so immodest."

Salutes and calls of respect to the king as Cloud's head was forced through a long tunic and marched out the room, wondering what Leon had in store for him…and if Death would come soon enough to him.

* * *

Zexion's indigo eyes watched the arrival of a cloaked man on a grey horse, the figure creating a spectral image in his mind's eye. If all had gone well, the treacherous concubine would have been caught by the king or his guards. The fate that would befall on him would be the decision of the king. For now, Zexion's mission was to bring in or eliminate the silent, fleeting foe that moved and spoke as if he were not of this earth at all. Slowly, carefully, softly…he crawled forward, his inky tunic caked in dirt and soiled by earth keeping him hidden. His group followed just as quietly, eyes aimed upon the ghostly moonlit form.

Yazoo jumped off the mare he had stolen from the tavern keeper's stables, eyes and ears awaiting a sign that the young former prince had done the deed and was either caught (which was preferable) or had escaped (which was not, but manageable). His plan –or should he say his brother's plan- had been executed flawlessly so far. The former third prince of Hollow Bastion was so hot-headed, so hungry for pride and honour that he would jump into a chance to salvage his and win glory for Hollow Bastion without a second thought. And those of Radiant Garden were such brainless barbarians that none of them would foresee their sovereign's murder coming upon them and yet would hunt down the king-killer with savage bloodlust. With only a child to lead them after history repeating itself once more tonight, Radiant Garden would be sure to fall.

Yazoo, however, never took account of the almost shadowy presence of the court of Radiant Garden's chief advisor, a man not borne from the wild lands, and yet was treated like a son of a barbarian court.

Zexion stood at that point, taking the dirk out of its sheath and into his dominant hand. "Yazoo, I presume."

The cloaked man stilled, turning his head slightly to look upon the man that had seemingly shot up from the ground. "And to what do I owe you this pleasure?"

"No pleasure, other than in ensuring my king's life," Zexion replied, taking cautious steps forward. "Especially since you have played the part of the composer in this plot against his life."

"So there are wise men among a court of barbarians."

"You do not give our people much credit. They are far wiser beyond their own years in knowing what can and cannot be done with these lands that only know barrenness and harshness."

"You conquer lands-"

"For our people's benefits, and eventually we bring those conquered people into our own bosoms and treat them as our own. And if you are so against us conquering lands to extend our empire, why find an alliance with our rivals, the Archadians, you are subject to crimes far worse than ours?"

"I need not answer your prattling." Yazoo's anelace was unsheathed, swiping at Zexion, but the slate-haired man parried the attack with a swiftness that was only seen in battle. Yazoo smirked. "A master in the combat of long daggers I see."

"A combat I only mastered if the fates brought me to battle."

"Then you shall give me a good and just fight tonight," Yazoo smirked. "Fighting green girls and whelps give me no amusement."

"Do not mock my intentions," Zexion retorted, signalling for his group of men, now lead by Zell, to appear. "I fight for my king and for honour, not for sport."

Yazoo looked around, not even looking perturbed by the sudden numbers that had appeared before him. "My my, this is interesting indeed. I will obviously have to tell him that Radiant Garden is not a kingdom to be trifled with."

"Less talk, more action!" Zell yelled as he swung his mace at Yazoo who barely dodged him.

"For once, I agree with you," Zexion muttered as he lunged forward towards the cloaked figure.

* * *

Cloud's eyes were glowing proudly as he was stripped naked once again and made to kneel on the stone cold floor of the dimly lit dungeon, his hands bound by ropes behind his back. The torturers were busy bringing out their "Bhujerban Gift" while guards watched over him, eyes glaring at him. His crime was to still be living and breathing after trying to assassinate their king. Cloud knew that he had gotten off lightly. If he had succeeded, no one would be able to save him from the punishment that truly fitted the crime.

Leon came in, taking a seat on the wooden chair that had been left there for visitors and interrogators when they came to visit. He had been clothed in a simple brown tunic and trousers, but his magnificent lion-skin cape had been wrapped around his shoulders. His stormy eyes and face were still expressionless, hiding anything he could be feeling.

"You hesitated," Leon stated at long last.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cloud demanded, anger returning to his voice.

"If you wanted to kill me, then you should've done it, not talk about it so much." Cloud knew Leon was right. He had the means and strength to do it but it seemed that he lacked the will to do the deed. And this was where it had landed him. Cloud snarled, not willing to admit defeat. "I spared your life that day on the battlefield Cloud when it was more convenient to have you killed then. I saved your life the other day. And I've saved your life now."

"That supposed to make me feel special?"

"Ask yourself why I still haven't gotten rid of you."

Cloud thought on this for a long while. "You said you wanted answers."

"Correct."

"So you're now going to torture them out of me?"

"No."

"No?"

"You're going to get punished, first and foremost." He nodded to a torturer that had appeared, holding what looked like a long black genital-shaped pole on a black pedestal decorated with strange and exotic colourful markings. Cloud looked at it in alarm at the strange new thing.

"What the _**hell**_ is _that_?!"

"A lingam," Leon replied. "In Bhujerba, they use it as a way to worship their gods, but it also has another use."

Cloud was roughly brought up to his feet. The lingam was placed upon the floor and he was made to kneel over it, the tip of the lingam brushing against his buttocks. "Wh-what?! Stop this!"

"The word _linga_ can mean several things," Leon continued, clearly not listening to Cloud. "It can mean a mark or a sign from the heavens, a characteristic of worship or, in this case, a link to the phallus."

"What?!"

"That's the interpretation we take in this case," Leon smirked. "As a torture device, it's far more effective than the Judas Chair."

The blond barely had time to speak as he was shoved hard down upon the lingam, his eyes widening and screeching in pain. If there was a pain far worse than being raped, being forced upon this thing was it. And he wasn't even being allowed to move off of it.

"Keep him there," Leon ordered. "Maybe he'll loosen up a bit once he understands what his position is."

"Anything else we should do, my lord?"

Leon stood up, not even giving Cloud a glance. "Have him flogged with the cat-o-nine-tails and then have his head dunked in the trough. Do not kill him, but neither are you allowed to be soft with him."

Cloud cried out in agony, his eyes barely able to follow Leon's departure.

Why wasn't he going to be executed for what he had done? Why was he still alive now?

* * *

Zexion was growling like an injured animal as he saw several men try to catch up with the fleeing silver-haired form of Yazoo of the House of Jenova. Lying in Zell's arms, one hand clasping his bloodied stabbed side, it was not only his body that had been wounded. So was his pride. His plan to capture and eliminate Yazoo had backfired, showing that he had been quite lax in his own planning as well.

"We need to get you back inside!"

Zexion didn't even respond to Zell's yell. "Yazoo…I'll remember this…"

"You! Carry Lord Zexion back into the castle and get the chief medic to treat him! The rest of you, return to your posts! This mission is now over! Move out!" Zell ordered, taking over command for the fallen advisor. Zexion's eyes never left that diminishing figure, as if hypnotised by the strange allure of the silvery-haired stranger from the East.

* * *

It was a week after the event at Aurea Castle, but news travelled slowly on the open road. The air was thick with the bird calls of the moors but also with a strange and foreign voice; singing and the sounds of little bells jangling as a traveller walked and hop-skipped along the road, a strange elongated instrument that was not far off a lute chanting a note lyrically every so often. His eyes looked up at the bright sunny blue summer sky, filled with the delight of warm weather and a good wind at his back after his hard walk down from Midgar to Alexandria in the winter and from Alexandria to Lindblum during a windy spring.

What filled him with more joy was at the notion of meeting a very special person after yet another yearly absence. But then again, the travelling bard (for that what he was) was like Adonis or Persephone in the songs and tales he voiced; doomed to spend a certain time with one person and then the rest of the year apart from that person. No matter, he was excited to see the other. No one could take that away from him. He danced slightly in his steps further towards the East of Radiant Garden (or "Less-East" since Aurea Castle had become more central since the empire's conquest over Hollow Bastion). Next week was the "Wild King of the Moors'" birthday and he had to perform for him…for old time's sakes.


	21. Celebrations

_A/N:_ OK. I'm back with this update so I'm going to make this Author's Note short and sweet.

I absolutely adore you people! Seriously, even though right now I am too exhausted to reply to everyone (because of these wretched exams and the general chaos that is life (aka _c'est la vie_)), I just wanna give you all big hugs and cookies made with love! -showers the goodness- I am not worthy -sniff-

I'd also like to apologise to someone. You'll know who you are. I am extremely apologetic if my last response seemed like I was being snappy. That was not my intention at all. I was trying to point out that I couldn't understand the connection between how something I read would influence on the way the story goes. Really, I didn't. But it all came out wrong I only noticed until it was too late. Again, I am sorry. Truly sorry.

I'd also like to take the chance to clear up somethings. One is that I have never said I was going to be historically accurate. I was going to put things in a time frame, change a few aspects to fit in with the story and make other things up as I went along (an example of this is that the first printing press wasn't invented until very late on in the medieval period and I'm going as far back as the Dark Ages _(see chapter 18)_). Kind of like what the Final Fantasy's did. Think Final Fantasy 4. Medieval time setting, inclusion of airships and other mechanical wonders. Second, I don't like the terms OOC or IC. Too restricting if you ask me. So instead, I've made up my own term: EPTC (**E**xploring **P**ersonailty **T**raits in **C**haracter). Its far more freer in my opinion and it makes you analyse the character far more thoroughly during gameplay as it means one can take a trait and play with it, so people who think Cloud is too proud, think back to his beginnings in the original FF7 game. He's bragging about how he's an ex-1st class SOLDIER. To me personally, that's pride, and its interesting to see how Cloud proves to be so much more 3-dimensional when his true past comes to light slowly but surely, leading to the angsty Cloud we all know and love (OK, going Shakespearean here about how characters are so much more than what they appear). This term is now free of use. Please, writers reading this, use it!!

OK, short and sweet it was not, but this will be! Please read and enjoy! And review! Reviews are my white chocolate Magnums!

* * *

**Celebrations.** They were the last thing on Cloud's mind as he was brought back to the servant's quarters from the dungeons. His visits to the torture chamber had become quite frequent, and he never saw Leon as the king had devoted himself to his work and to unearthing the intentions of the House of Jenova. Cloud couldn't even enjoy his own birthday. He was now eighteen; a man. But now he had been further degraded by Leon's "gift".

What was on his mind was forgiveness. Riku had taken it upon himself to care for the concubine since no one was willing to even give him a second thought. Cloud winced as Riku dabbed hot water onto the bloody wounds on his back, saying barely anything.

"Why did you give us up?" Cloud asked quietly.

"What do you mean?" Riku questioned.

"Back then…when you were tortured…"

"At that point, I don't think I could handle much more," Riku muttered. "And I'm a coward. I know that. But I put my duty to you and Roxas before my duty to Hollow Bastion. Maybe it was wrong of me to do so…but at the time, if there was any hope of Hollow Bastion surviving, I had to save your lives first."

"He threatened to kill us?"

"Right in front of me. And then if I still wouldn't talk they'd kill me and send our heads back to your father." Riku took a deep breath. "At that time, giving up was the best way to ensure your safety." Cloud nodded his head, slowly understanding that Riku had very little choice in the matter. "So my choice was to be brave and suffer for nothing, or to be cowardly and save your life. I made my choice. I'll bear the consequences of it. Even if it means I earn your undying hatred for me."

"…I was wrong…"

"Cloud?"

"I'm sorry. I was too proud…too arrogant to even see what you were trying to do."

"We were both in the wrong. I should have told you earlier. It would have saved us this trouble."

"You don't trust your brothers…do you?"

"I can trust them as far as I can throw them," Riku muttered. "And that's not far at all."

"Yazoo lied to me…"

"And you think the others wouldn't?"

"I'm not sure anymore. All I can hope…all I can pray, is that Leon's told the truth."

"Wait until the king's birthday. Sir Axel's an honoured guest. He is bound to bring Roxas with him."

"I hope so."

* * *

Roxas had been pondering over the strange appearance and disappearance of Yazoo as they group from Aurelias trotted towards Aura Town and Aurea Castle. It was one of those characteristics that the blond had not been well known for, but no one would take much notice of it.

That is, of course, if you happened to be Axel.

"What are you thinking?"

"Oh," Roxas looked over to his master. "Nothing important."

"If its nothing important, you wouldn't be thinking so hard on it," Axel chuckled, one of his amused smirks gracing his features.

"Well you've probably already been informed of it."

"If it concerns the affairs of the royal household, then yes, that's most likely true."

"So it's nothing important that you wouldn't know."

"Ah but it is important what you're thinking though, isn't it?"

"…Yes…"

"Just as I thought."

Kairi rolled her eyes at her brother's confusing logic, looking over to Mary who was walking briskly alongside her, having refused to ride in the cart with a few other women. Instead, she chose to walk alongside her fellow Trabians. They all claimed that any man worth his salt walked everywhere, even in terrible conditions. One could say that was why the Trabians held bards in high regard as they travelled by foot as much as they could. Mary told Roxas that there was one bard that was highly looked up to and adored by the Trabians for the simple fact that he would rather walk than ride so he could see more of the world at a leisurely pace. His name was-

"Demyx? Ach! It's Demyx!"

Roxas jumped as the very name that was going through his head was whooped by a man at front. Then he heard the distinct sound of bells. Little jingling bells. Kairi was trotting in front, her eyes alight with excitement. Axel grinned widely. "Zexion will be pleased."

"Why would Zexion be pleased?"

"Confidential information," Axel dismissed, encouraging his colt to move forward to greet the exotic bard. Roxas followed silently on Oblivion, eyes widening as he saw the strange man for the very first time.

Demyx was tall. Very tall. He was very nearly a head higher than all the others that surrounded him, a white turban covering golden honey-brown locks of hair adding to his height. His skin was sun-kissed from years of travelling the lands with many different red markings decorating it, crisp white linen wrapped around his waist -held by a belt of gold and red ropes of thread- and hung over his shoulder, weighed down by a colourful amulet in the shape of a fish with blue scales. His wrists and ankles were adorned with golden bracelets with silver bells attached to them, a symbol of his rank among the bards of the lands, and the bells sang merrily as he moved. Curious still was what the bard held in his hands. Roxas had never seen such a thing before. It was shaped like a lute except the neck was long and elongated that it reached the bard's shoulder if it was standing tall next to him. The young blond found himself staring at the strange man for so long, only to look away when turquoise eyes that shone as bright as stars met his own.

"So how were your travels this time Demyx?" Kairi asked. "Tell me all about them!"

The bard laughed in a merry melodious voice, patting her hand lightly. "Later. When everyone is around to hear."

"But I so want to hear about them!"

"Don't be so demanding Kairi," Axel reprimanded his sister. "Edea would have your head for acting so unladylike."

"Well she isn't here, so there," Kairi pouted childishly, sticking her tongue out at her brother. Axel shook his head. He then turned to face Roxas who looked like he was gaping at the appearance of the travelling bard.

"Roxas, you're not a codfish," Axel chuckled, watching the boy quickly close his mouth and ride over to him. Demyx looked at the newcomer, giving the boy a cheery smile.

"So who's this golden boy?"

"His name's Roxas," Axel introduced. "I've just acquired him as my squire."

"Ohhhhh I see," Demyx murmured, looking up and down the boy. "So you finally decided to get a loyal companion then."

"Demyx," Axel grunted testily. "You're making it sound like I'm incapable of something."

"Me? Make it sound like you can't make friends or companions? Never!"

Axel clearly was dubious about the bard's words, having known Demyx to be a master of double meanings. He then shook it off and laughed. "So, shall I ask or should I not bother?"

"Don't bother," Demyx grinned, lifting up a bell-anklet adorned foot. Roxas noticed that the skin under the sole of his foot seemed to have hardened over years of long walking, yet it seemed to add to the mystery of this bard. "I've walked from Lindblum to here. What's another mile to me?"

Axel chuckled. "Alright. If you say so." He then encouraged Flame on, the horse having pawed the ground a bit in impatience. Roxas' eyes were completely on Demyx as he started to sing in a strange language that he had never heard of before, the man's voice as clear as the bells he wore around his ankles and wrists.

Truly, Roxas had thought, bards were extraordinary creatures.

* * *

Sora's eyes darted a bit in impatience, tapping his foot a bit from time to time. Riku sighed. He had been dragged along by the prince to this place, and the brunet had given no reason why he had.

"My prin-"

"Sora," the prince corrected him immediately. Indeed, they were alone. The patrols were at different parts of the wall.

"…Sora," Riku continued wearily. "Can you please tell me why we are here?"

"We're waiting for everyone."

"Everyone?"

"Yes. You know the ambassadors, acrobats, knights and warriors who want to compete in the tournament, maybe a ruler if they can leave their kingdom for a while."

"I take it that doesn't often happen."

"Not really. But we did have Garnet come over one time. But that was when she was a princess and her mother was trying to marry her off to Leon." Sora then giggled a bit. "Leon got on with her, but he wasn't interested. He still spent most of his time talking to advisors or training."

"I see. Did you get on with the queen?"

"She was nice. I wouldn't have minded having her for a sister-in-law." He was still looking out of the castle walls, waiting still. Riku was now watching too, having his curiosity piqued.

"Anyone else who comes?"

"There's Demyx," Sora grinned gleefully. "He's always the one that I can't wait for."

"Demyx? The travelling bard?"

"Yes! That's him!"

Riku chuckled. "What makes him so special?"

"He tells us about his travels before any other song, and he does it in epic format!" Sora grinned. "I still remember the story of how he tamed a dragon in Bhujerba with just his voice and his instrument!"

Riku shook his head. Dragons did not exist, but for Sora, he could only take the bard's word for it. Or maybe he did know the truth but decided to hold onto the childish belief. Riku wasn't certain. The prince, for all his childlike ways, could have moments when he had the wisest council, and could show a strong sense of maturity if he felt like it.

But still, it would be nice to believe in all the nonsense Sora was babbling about excitedly.

"Ah!" Sora gasped in his excitement, making Riku jump from his inner most thoughts. "People are arriving!"

Riku looked over the wall and saw that indeed people were coming. There was a small convoy arriving that seemed to be made mostly of muscled men in Trabian garbs, but the sound of someone singing in a strange and mysterious tongue from some exotic land. However, coming further to the North (or to Riku's west in this case) as a large pageant with the coat of arms and colours of another royal family. Riku tried to remember where he had seen them.

"Grey…with a red phoenix…" Riku muttered.

"Eh?! House Fair?!" Sora exclaimed, immediately looking in the direction Riku was staring in. "It is!"

"Wait…that's Midgar's royal family!" Riku gaped. He had heard that Radiant Garden and Midgar were on very close terms but he never would've thought that a king would gladly leave his kingdom for the other unless there was an incredibly good reason for it. Especially when Zachary of House Fair's wife was heavily pregnant. Sora looked gleeful.

"Leon's going to be pleased," he giggled in irony.

"Why?"

"Zack's always telling him off for working so hard. He'll single-handedly drag him out of his study if he has to."

Riku was now very intrigued at the concept of there being a man who could get the near-twenty-year-old out of his study. He'd have to witness this himself.

* * *

Cloud was staring out of the window of the servants' quarters when he saw a large group of people processed into the castle bailey, a scattering of grey flags with a red phoenix flapping a bit in the still wind among a sea of people. The first to arrive, Cloud had though. No doubt more were to come seeing as this was a big event. He then jolted when he saw a shock of red hair, which immediately equated to the king's knight which equated to Roxas. Faster than an eagle swooping down on its prey, Cloud was dashing down the steps, almost sending a few maids toppling over and shrieking at him to be more careful, out into the bailey and searching for a boy with spiky golden hair and bright sapphire eyes like his own. He felt a tug at his sleeve. "Cloud?"

The elder blond turned and immediately pulled his _alive_ brother into a warm embrace, relief, happiness and a sense of panicked urgency to make sure this was truth and not some spectre his mind had conjured up overwhelming him. Roxas made a small surprised squeak but returned the hold affectionately. "What's gotten into you?"

Cloud made no response, pulling back and taking a quick analysis of his younger brother's current welfare. He looked well taken care of, fresh clothes, and was that a bit of muscle in his arms he was feeling? He barely looked like a slave or even a servant. And he was allowed to carry a weapon! Roxas' new master obviously had given the boy his trust on such a matter. "You…are you alright? Has that brute done anything to you?"

Roxas blinked. "That 'brute' as you call him has been nothing but kind to me. And for some reason…he trusts me enough to let me be his squire."

So it was muscle. He was being trained to fight. Was that man so reckless as to let a former enemy train with him? Then again, Cloud had to ask if Leon was having a moment of stupidity when he spared his life to give him one of humiliation.

To the king's credit, no one was very sure what was going through his mind. Not even his closest friends or his young brother knew.

Radiant Garden seemed to be filled with people who had kept their ulterior motives very, very, very hidden Cloud had come to find.

"But why?"

"I…I'm not sure," Roxas muttered. Was that a hint of stubbornness? Was he trying to defend his new master? "Axel cares about me. That's all that matters. I won't question it."

"Why?"

"Because I've learned that there's no straight answer with that man." A pregnant pause. "How is Riku?"

"Well," Cloud replied. "He's taken his new charge quite…seriously."

"So he's well integrated then?"

Cloud stopped to think. None of the other servants seemed to hiss and glare at the silver-haired man. None of them distrusted him. And Riku was proving to be a very loyal servant to Sora, always accompanying the usually ailing prince everywhere he late. In comparison, Cloud was hated. Cloud was scorned. Cloud was subject to distrust and subtle anger. He was truly an outcast in this place.

And maybe it should be like that. Sooner or later someone was going to put a dagger in his back. Why bother being sociable?

"Very well integrated," Cloud responded, keeping his inner thoughts to himself. No need to worry Roxas. The boy clearly had a good man and good friends now. Hyne smite him if he took that away from Roxas.

"That's good."

Any chance of further conversation was quashed as a yelp of shock echoed in the bailey and Cloud saw a flash of white and blue and heard the jangle of bells as the flash sped up into the castle keep. He raised a brow.

"That's Demyx," Roxas reported, as if the name would explain everything. Cloud very slowly nodded, having heard the name once or twice in snatches of conversation he had managed to overhear. Then there was the sound of fanfare.

Two kings were about to meet.

* * *

To put it mildly, Zexion felt wretched.

Vexen had confined him to his bedchambers ever since his unfortunate stabbing at the hands of Yazoo weeks ago and had hardly left ever since, though the wound was well on the way to be fully healed. He had also been denied of his duties of educating the young prince (much to Sora's brief delight but only for that to be dampened when Edea and Kiros took over instead) and of being the king's chief advisor so now he only had his books, his quill and some parchment to pass the time. If he was going to be stuck in a room for a long time then he was going to do something useful like draw up plans of assassinating the members of House Jenova. Starting with Yazoo. By now, he had managed to devise nearly a hundred intricate plots, traps and methods of killing the brothers. With the exception to Riku…unless he turned out to be a spy for them by some rare chance.

Hyne help them if that were the case.

"Should a person 'sick in bed' really be doing work?" a soft, gentle, melodious voice asked, jolting the petite advisor from his scheming trance, seeing the face that he only ever saw once annually. He blinked for a long while, wondering if this was just an image his work-stricken mind had created for him. He came forward, the sound of bells trailing after him.

At once, Zexion knew this was not a trick being played upon him.

He turned his head away, not catching the surprised look of hurt crossing the bard's handsome features. "Zexion?"

"So you're back," the slate-haired man muttered, not even looking at Demyx.

"And you're mad at me."

"Whatever gave you that impression?"

"You're not looking at me."

A stubborn silence.

"Why are you angry with me?"

"You left."

"Zexion, you know I have to leave. I can't stay in one place at one time and that there's-"

"So many places to see in so short a time. Yes I know," Zexion snapped irritably, having heard the same excuse for the past four years, since that first time they met when Demyx was just an apprentice minstrel spreading his wings and Zexion was quickly becoming astute in the art of politics. "That still doesn't change the fact that you left. Without saying a word. Again."

Demyx winced, knowing that he had forgotten that small detail. Zexion had a way of reading people, and Demyx was like a book. A very complex book written in Bhujerban Sanskrit that was impossible to read to the common average person, but not to Zexion. The advisor was the only one who read and indulged in its secrets with happiness and fondness while others would be trapped in the mystery that was the bard.

But in the same way Zexion read Demyx like a book, the bard could play Zexion like an instrument with the same care and devotion so that it would sing the sweetest praises to the pleasure of Demyx. There were equals. Where one would move a step forward, the other would not step back but instead trap him from making another move. Where one tried to retreat, so would the other so to determine the next move.

It was a permanent stalemate. There was no clear way of determining a winner.

And so it was in this case.

"There's no excuse for that. But I had to leave. You know you don't like saying goodbye."

"I detest it when you don't have the courtesy to even leave a note," Zexion countered.

"I can't write."

"You can draw. And don't say you can't because I saw you sketching something for the prince once."

A small Bhujerban curse. Once again, evenly matched. Zexion guessed that Demyx would try a different tactic judging by the small fidgets his wrists were making, the bells tinkling quietly.

"I didn't want to hurt you."

"You did anyway," Zexion pointed out.

"You were upset that first time we said goodbye," Demyx murmured, having very carefully chosen his words.

"I'm not some glass-spun _child_," Zexion retorted. "I can handle saying my goodbyes." If the king's campaigns were anything to go by, Zexion had had to join in emotional goodbyes to the fallen with their troops. And once or twice Zexion had had to make a farewell speech in the king's stead when either his plan had foiled (as shown at Hollow Bastion) or he felt remorse over the death of his men -the king had shown this at the conquest of Trabia, feeling anger and remorse for not being fully prepared for his first taste of warfare and seeing so many bodies of his own men lying on the ground, their blood dying the snow scarlet.

"I know. But it's different with me, is it not?"

Zexion frowned. "Don't flatter yourself." Demyx brushed the remark off. His bells were tinkling again with his wrists. Another tactic was going to be played. Zexion was prepared for this.

"It was hard for me too, to leave you behind again."

"Clearly not."

"I struggled."

"No sign of it."

"I kissed you goodbye."

"You did no such thing!" Zexion huffed, an embarrassed flush of cherry-red tingeing his otherwise pale cheeks. Demyx smiled. Zexion scowled. "You are the most impossible being in this world."

"I know. But you love me for it, don't you?"

Zexion glowered, denying him an answer.

"What's that?"

Zexion was not even going to open his mouth for this.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't hear you. What was your answer?"

"Go away. I don't want to see your ugly mug ever again."

"You don't mean that."

"Get out…" Zexion growled lowly.

"One reason why?"

"You're going to be singing songs about how you narrowly escaped death by your incensed lover…that is if you live."

"Aha! You admit it!" Demyx cracked a cheeky grin, looking very satisfied.

He promptly left the room when he saw Zexion's arm grab and toss something, hearing the sound of glass smashing against the door and Zexion's strangled howl about having lost another inkwell to "that pompous turban-headed sitar-strangling fool".

Demyx laughed quietly. Well, he would have to pester Zexion about him being stabbed later on, once the little man had calmed down a bit. This was usual routine. Sooner or later, Zexion was going to be a bit more forgiving…and a bit more loving he hoped, though it seemed a little unlikely at this moment.

"_Kastam_, I am in love with siren who is also part banshee," Demyx lamented, loudly enough for Zexion to hear. He was rewarded with a dull thud. And another curse, signalling that Zexion had successfully lost another quill because of him.

"I'm going to castrate you when you least expect it!" Zexion screeched at him.

"I look forward to becoming a eunuch," Demyx said charmingly enough, but irony laced his voice.

And thus, their usual courtship began again.


	22. Jubilation

"**Jubilation!** Everyone is in jubilation and you seem to be such a sourpuss on your own birthday!"

Leon rolled his eyes, far more interested in information some of Zexion's informants had managed to receive about a certain family. The man with spiky black hair and wore navy and black riding attire stared at him peevishly with bright cerulean eyes, his mouth now a tight line of frustration, slightly stretching the cross-shaped scar that the man had received from a battle gone-by. He tapped a black riding boot impatiently, awaiting an answer. The younger man sighed.

"Listen, Zack," Leon droned. "As much as I would _adore_ being down there celebrating with everyone else, I have far more troubling matters to deal with. So if you excuse me…"

"Don't give me that. And tell me why you have two heirs of that kingdom you've been harping on about for years alive under _your_ own roof?"

Leon sighed. Somehow, he had a feeling Zack was going to ask that. The only person who would dare challenge a king was another king. And that often led to incredibly dire situations.

"I have my reasons."

"You say that to every question anyone asks you. We never know _what_ your reasons are though. What's the big secret? Why keep family members of a House you hated alive?"

Leon closed his eyes. "If you think my keeping of Cloud is purely sexual, you're sorely mistaken."

"Aha, so there is more to it."

"That's all you're going to know," Leon said firmly.

"Is it now?" A small dry chuckle, as if the other monarch was planning ways of getting it out of his younger friend.

"Yes. No amount of reputation and honour stabbing is going to get your answer from me."

A small click of his tongue. "Alright. But that still doesn't give you enough reason to stay indoors all day."

"I can make my own decisions," Leon dismissed, busily sorting through papers of great importance. It was at that point Zack took the younger man by the ear and pulled him up, a cheerful smile that even the sun would share on his face. Leon hissed and glared at Zack but kept quiet, not wanting to cause a feud between Radiant Garden and Midgar.

"Either give me the answer or come outside," Zack offered the ultimatum, grinning all the while. Zack was one of these men who would do anything with a smile, even the most torturous deeds. He was also the man that had had to fend off his throne from pretenders almost constantly, with more "Rufus of the Royal House Shinra's" springing up than weeds in an untended garden. In short, Midgar was far from being a secure state until there was solid proof that the "true" heir either was alive or dead as believed to be.

Leon often wondered if starting to raise a family in such an unruly state was a wise plan of action for Zack. The court of Midgar was already quite snooty with the fact that Midgar's "Peasant Queen" had been found to have a noble lineage from ancient kings after all, allowing Zack to marry her under those terms (the truth was, Zack had his scholars change a few details with Aerith's family line.) A hybrid-child of both nobility and peasantry was not going to be welcomed into the court very easily, whether it was heir to Midgar's throne or not. But such matters were not of his concern. It was up to Zack. Coming back to the matter at hand…

"Let go," Leon growled, not at all happy with the stinging sensation in his ear. As a child, Edea had taken to pulling or boxing the young king by the ears if he had answered back or treated some person without respect, regardless of what rank that person was. Leon did not like it then, and he did not like it now.

"Answer or out," Zack stated, being pretty firm.

"I'm not a child."

"You never were," Zack observed dryly. "When was the last time you relaxed and had fun?"

Leon scowled, but knowing what Zack had said was the truth. Being king at a young age, the brunet had been forced to grow up as fast as he could despite Edea's attempts to salvage any childhood innocence in him. The most fun Leon ever had been when sparring with someone who was at a worthy level.

"Exactly!" Zack took Leon's silence as an answer. "So what's it going to be? Opening up a little or going out to have some fun at least while the celebrations are going on?"

Leon knew that he had no real choice. Neither of them he would take, but for the sake of keeping himself in one piece… "I'll take the "fun" option…"

"Good boy," Zack grinned, then dragged the young king by the ear out of the study, ignoring the younger's warning growls. "Now let's go join your subjects. I'm pretty sure they would rather like to have the reason for this grand affair present."

Leon made a mental note to himself to declare war with Midgar if their almost childish monarch stepped out of line during his visit. The 'barbarian king' was not one that was happy to be made a fool of.

* * *

Cloud rather glumly watched the tournament going on from the battlements, very much on his own as none of the servants who had taken the time off from their duties to watch the grand show would come near him, still as unforgiving as ever. The concubine wondered how he even managed to survive these past two weeks with all the hatred and anger being thrown at him. He pulled his knees up into his chest, wondering if he should just jump from here and possibly die. To die on the king's birthday…that would be a good way to spite him after all he had done to him.

"Well if it ain't the would-be-assassin," Cid's brash voice hollered over Cloud's despairing thoughts. Cloud glared at the stable-master, not wanting to be taunted at.

"Leave me alone," he growled.

"Don't feel like it wiseass," the crude blond shrugged, plonking himself on the floor next to Cloud, smoking from his pipe. "Besides, if I go down, I'll have to deal with prissy lords and knights complaining about saddles and stirrups and whatnot, and I'm not allowed to bark back unfortunately."

"And you can bark back at me?"

"Exactly," Cid smirked. "Kind of a good thing that the king didn't have you executed as expected. Crazy as his old coot of a father, but much tougher. Actually, come to think about, all those Leonharts are crazy."

"Crazy you say?"

"Hmm. Old King Laguna, Hyne bless his soul, tricking your old pa from getting his intended fiancée, Queen Raine for having to deal with him and his plans, the king now for keeping you alive, as well as that younger brother of yours, and the little prince for just being him. Mad as foxes the lot of them."

"The prince seems more like a mad hare than a mad fox."

"True that," Cid chuckled. "True that…but don't let that deceive you."

"What?"

"The prince might be physically weak right now, and is easily distracted, but he's got a sharp mind." The stable-master then laughed dryly. "I'm amazed at the amount of patience Zexion has with trying to make sure that mind stays sharp."

Cloud had to admire it too. And Riku, for he was often dragged around by the prince everywhere, whether the young boy was hiding from lessons or not. "So why has Leon kept me alive?"

"Hell if I know," Cid shrugged. "That king of ours keeps himself to himself at the best of times."

Certainly isn't out of love, Cloud had thought. The young blond doubted that the brunet knew what love was anymore having cut himself off from emotions other than anger and hatred.

He wasn't aware that the very same person he was thinking about was looking up at him with an untold emotion from his seat, not a person aware of the toil the king had put himself through.

For once, the king even doubted his own plans.

* * *

The celebrations went along smoothly, things going along accordingly as planned. Though, as expected, the king's "would-be-murderer" was barely integrated into the gathering, everyone having shunned him and murmuring how the bastard ought to be hanged. Beheading was too good for him, they said. Let the concubine die like a common thief, they said.

Zexion stayed silent, knowing the king had reasons he would not willingly part with in public. Privately, it was a different matter. If the advisor did enough coaxing and enough promising, he could weasel out the king's true intentions, his true feelings, his insecurities, everything that he had hidden in a carefully crafted armour that appeared to have no chinks.

Leon cared for his people. That was why he conquered other lands and opened trade routes, so that they could have a better quality of life, even if it came at the high price of bloodshed. If at all possible, Leon would rather avoid war. That first battle with Trabia had been enough to quell the battle-thirst of youth for the young king. He slept restlessly those first few days of the almost chaotic first campaign. He also knew that with Hollow Bastion, war could not be avoided, but there was only one person who he could blame for his parents' murder. Unfortunately, someone had beaten him to the kill. This was probably why he took it out on Cloud mostly. If anything, Leon was usually a gentle person, if somewhat infuriating at times with his stubbornness.

Leon didn't _hate_ Cloud. He hated the elder brothers and the father of the deceased House Strife. That was all. And Zexion couldn't blame the king. After all, sending the supposed assassin only to find out from a spy it was just some unlucky servant who got picked out from the rest to get killed by the "barbarians" was not going to earn forgiveness from a kingdom that had just had their monarch and his wife assassinated. Leon wanted retribution. Edea had tried to earn peace between the two warring families only to end in utter failure, just like Laguna had tried to do months prior to his death but always getting refuted by the elder princes of House Strife and by the patriarch. If old stubborn wills would not give way to younger wills towards peace, then the old had to go. Zexion had gathered that Leon was _hoping_ to get through to the younger princes so that peace could be reached.

Apparently, Cloud was almost like an exact duplicate of his stubborn warlike father. It seemed a shame. But maybe Leon was holding onto some stray thread of hope that he could reach out to Cloud. Zexion could only admire that kind of faith, though Leon was going the wrong way about the whole issue. If anything, he was _pushing away_ Cloud with all this behaviour of his.

Leon was afraid of things going wrong. The king had to pay attention to every single detail before making a step forward. Zexion noted the change after that first campaign long ago, where Leon was reckless and hungry for battle, almost casually throwing away the lives of his own men. Once he witnessed the destruction, Leon's attitude to war changed from a great game and a step closer to retribution, to a dangerous thing that had to be used only if necessary. Although it seemed annoying to most of the more battle-ready and blood-lusting lords that were under Leon's command, they respected him because it meant less lives were needlessly being cast aside. And Leon was taking a giant risk of losing everything by sticking to his original plan of trying to gain some sort of treaty between him and Cloud, technically the head of the House of Strife now that his father was dead. Zexion was becoming worried that the king was becoming reckless again.

All the advisor could do was sit tight and watch the story unfold and pray for the best. Either Leon had to change his tactics to win over Cloud's favour and trust, or Cloud give just an inch to the king and let himself listen for once. He knew that it seemed a bit much to ask from two souls who were just as stubborn as each other, but it seemed like the only way. They were both in stalemate, fighting a battle that couldn't be won on either side.

He could only hope that the king actually took his earlier advice in one of his reports to him and for Cloud to reciprocate. For now…he had his own losing battle to fight.

"You know, anger doesn't become you," Demyx observed.

"You're in no position to say what you like to me," Zexion snarled at him, clearly not amused with him.

"Why the long face anyway? What have I done to deserve your wrath?" Demyx gave him a sad face that would suit a puppy that had just been kicked by its new master, pining for forgiveness. "All I have done is leave you without warning."

"And there lies my reason," Zexion muttered, walking as fast as his legs could carry him, away from the addle-brained bard.

"I already told you that I was late for another engagement. What more do you want from me?" Demyx asked, hot on the advisor's heels.

"Another engagement. Another engagement?! Since _when_ did another engagement stop you from saying goodbye?!" Zexion knew he was acting uncharacteristically possessive, that he seemed more like a wife having been slighted by an adulterous husband, but these were his feelings.

Demyx sighed a bit. He was more used to Zexion manipulating him to the point where the bard would bend over backwards while singing some silly ditty and playing the mandolin just for his pleasure. Not this suspicious and…jealous? "Are you jealous, Zexion?" The question was out faster than Demyx could think on it. Zexion turned on his heel sharply and shot him a look.

"Don't flatter yourself." He turned back and started striding away. "Preening peacock."

"Aha! I get it! You thought I was going to see another person! Am I right?"

"I already told you not to flatter yourself!"

"A_ha_! That is it!"

"I'm going to give you a count of ten to run away before a throw something _very_ sharp at you."

"Uh-oh…"

"One…"

"Run, run away!"

"Ten!"

The bard had disappeared faster than Zexion could turn. He had won this round…for now. But sooner or later, Zexion knew that Demyx was going to win the war. Like he always did. But that didn't mean the advisor was going to bow down without a fight.

"I'll win this time. I vow it."

* * *

Early evening, and while many were inside the great hall dancing and celebrating, Cloud had been tossed inside the king's study unceremoniously. Cloud turned around to demand why he was here, but the doors were tightly shut. There was no getting past them, especially if there were guards at the door.

"I apologise if they seem to be a bit rougher in their handling than usual. I have tried to tell them to behave themselves if they are around you."

Cloud's face fell into a neat scowl. "Does it matter, _highness_? By rights I should be dead."

"And yet you're alive," Leon muttered, scribbling away at documents, falcon feathered quill dancing along the page and leaving a snail's trail of ink.

"You've decided to have me executed after all?"

"No."

"Then why did you call for me?"

"Sit down."

"No."

Leon looked up, a warning look in his stormy eyes. "Sit."

Cloud stood standing, preferring to stand tall and with his dignity in tact. Leon sighed, deciding not to push it. He'd lose this little battle…for now. He slowly stood up. "I know that your…current living conditions have been less than acceptable."

"Is this in the past two weeks or in the past _month_?" Cloud retorted.

"You have to understand that I have my position to think of."

"And I have mine! I shouldn't have even been alive after that battle! Why did you spare me? I thought I would be used as some sort of bargaining tool between you and my father and then you do this! Why? What's your reason behind doing something so stupid, so reckless, so-!"

"Because killing you would've sprung up several pretenders of passing resemblance claiming royal blood," Leon shot across Cloud's tirade. "And it is the same with your younger brother. It's far safer having both of you alive or killed in public so that no weeds could grow from your name."

"And you would rather have us live in shame? Risk the chance of resistance groups trying to rescue us?"

"If I have to risk insurgents, so be it. Having you alive is far more useful for me than having your corpse."

"Is it now? Wouldn't it have been better to keep my father alive?"

"You think I was the one that killed him?"

"It's all pointing to you so far," Cloud growled. "Unless you have some sort of proof to say that you didn't."

"All I have is my word…and this." He opened a box that was on his desk and took out a knife that was identical to the one Cloud would have used on the king if his attempt at assassination had succeeded. The blond's sapphire eyes widened at the sight of the dried blood that still stained the now dull blade, as if taunting him with that bloodstained emerald serpent's eye. "Now do you understand? It may not be much but if I had killed your father, I wouldn't have done what I had to do so far."

"What do you mean by that?" Cloud was feeling everything that he had ever known shattering around his feet, the one reason that plagued his thoughts of Leon now dissipating in the air. It was as if someone had cleaned the slate that had the rules, visions and ideas Cloud was taught carefully written onto it and was now writing new views and opinions as they spoke.

"What I mean is that there is more to you being here than for carnal pursuits," Leon stated bluntly.

"Then what is the _real_ reason you keep me here?" Cloud demanded, scowling at him with a newfound frustration. He was confused. Terribly confused. Nothing made sense in his head. It seemed surreal all of a sudden.

"You'll learn in time."

"What kind of answer is that?!"

Leon chose not to respond, looking at the documents dutifully rather than face the blond. For Cloud, this wasn't a good enough answer. His fisted hands banged on the desk, glaring at him, wanting Leon just for once to back down. The king actually jumped at the action, his blue-grey eyes widening in surprise.

"Why do you keep me here? You have no profit in keeping me alive, so why do you bother? Why not execute me like it's expected? Why didn't you kill me on the battlefield as expected?"

"I don't _feel_ like doing the expected," Leon remarked.

"That's your reason?!"

"No."

"Then what is it?!"

"Now's not the time or the place to say."

Cloud growled, his frustration levels increasing at the fact that none of his questions were being answered. "At least be clear on why you called me? Or did you decide to have one of your rare moments to gloat?"

"I'm not one for gloating."

"If you had killed my father I know you would have gloated."

"Maybe."

"How about _definitely_?!"

"Are you going to keep throwing a tantrum or are you going to grow up and listen to what I have to say?" Leon threw back, crossing his arms across his chest. Cloud frowned but retreated with his attack, biding his time. Oh this battle was far from over. Far from it.

"I called you in because I have a proposition for you."

"Proposition?" Cloud scoffed. "Don't make me laugh."

Leon chose to ignore that sentiment. "You want your freedom very much, don't you?" Cloud didn't respond, just glaring at him. "What if I gave you back Hollow Bastion without any unnecessary bloodshed?"

"Sounds far too good to be true," Cloud muttered, making it known his suspicions.

"Glad to know that you think it is. But all you have to do is earn my favour, and these people's trust."

"That's all?"

"That's all."

"I don't trust you."

"I knew you were going to say that."

"It just seems all too easy. Winning over the hearts of people just for the return of my home? Doesn't seem like a fair bargain on your side at all."

"My people's hearts aren't as easy to move as you think," Leon replied coolly. "They're made of stone. And moving them is your only hope of ever being restored."

"There has to be more to it. I'm not as naïve or as stupid as you think I am, despite what my own desperation had made me do."

Leon raised a brow, at last seeing some sort of intelligence in the blond. Maybe more of it would shine through once his plan started to come along. "There is more to it."

"Then what is there?"

Leon shook his head, as if he was going to keep that information to himself. "Just see this as a chance to pay off a debt."

"I'm not indebted to you!"

"I never said you literally were."

"You…" Cloud's frustrations were beginning to peak by this point with Leon's withholding important information.

"I leave for Dalmasca in two days with an entourage. In the same amount of time, the royal household will travel to Boreas for the autumn and winter seasons." Leon's eyes looked at the blond with a very sombre look. "Where you decide to go is up to you."

"Why give me the choice?" Cloud questioned.

"You're dismissed," Leon droned, ignoring Cloud's question.

"Leon!"

"Leave before I summon the guards." The king had returned to work. Cloud pursed his lips, frustrated and at the same time confused with Leon's proposition. He turned on his heel and made his way to leave.

"I'll show myself out then, _highness_."

He didn't flounce out, Leon could give him that, having kept his dignity by not acting like a bratty child as he shut the door carefully, even though it took the blond a lot of effort not to have a tirade about it. The king sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose to stave off a headache.

"Honestly, this is a dangerous gamble. I'll have to hope it works out."


	23. Confusion

**A/N:** I'm back (after nearly a month --;;). I've been super busy as of late (graduation, voluntary work, getting a course sorted out, my new temporary job, etc etc) so I made the goal to update at least before my birthday. And I'm five days early! XD

To all of you who have stuck with me so far, thank you so much! You are all wonderful people who deserve cookies and cream and other sweet things to be showered upon! I hope you like this chapter

Please read and enjoy! And review! For they are my slices of white chocolate with raspberries tart!

**

* * *

Confusion.**

That single feeling could best sum up what was going through Cloud's mind as he sat outside in the royal garden, listening to the festivities that neither he nor the king were taking part in.

What exactly was going on? Winning favours? Winning trust? Did Leon even realise how impossible that was going to be in his current position?! He was hated, loathed and despised by all in this kingdom, and probably thought to be dead in his own along with the rest of his family. It was going to be an uphill struggle not even worth fighting for…had it not been for the fact that Cloud would earn his freedom by successfully completing the task.

The task was going to an achievement that was impossible to reach, just like those symbolic blue roses that many weeks ago had been put by his bedside while he was recovering from a poisoning attempt. He closed his eyes and wondered…maybe even prayed…that this was just some divine test that he was being put through.

Cloud also pondered through the possibilities. Leon had already proved to be somewhat prepared for spontaneous attacks, and was readily awaiting conceived plots of his demise. But what if…the thought flashed through Cloud's mind immediately. The flawless plan, something Leon might not have been prepared for at all.

He would take up this proposal. And then, he would wait. After all, some of the best revenges were made after long periods of pausing and silence.

Imprisonment. Commonly it gifted a man slave-like obedience to his captor. Uncommonly, it would bequest a man uncontrollable rage to the point of him becoming beserk. But imprisonment rarely awarded a man long enduring patience in their pursuit for revenge.

* * *

"It's not fair! It's incredibly unfair!"

Leon sighed, running a hand through his mane of chocolate coloured locks. Sora was trying to seek out a chance to get out of Radiant Garden again, this time through the peace talks in Dalmasca. Now Leon was all for educating the young prince but there was one tiny matter Sora seemed to be forgetting.

"Like I already said, you get sick so often that it's not worth the risk," Leon droned, his arms crossed against his chest defensively. He was not prepared to be aggressive in front of Sora. That was one part of his nature he daren't show in front of his young brother.

"Lord Larsa is allowed to go and he's _younger_ than me!" Sora argued hotly, a healthy glow of red in his cheeks. It had been remarkable how the young prince's recovery had been so swift to the point that he was eating regular meals within a week and a day, but now it appeared to Leon that Sora had been determined to recover for this particular event. And to the king, he was not going to take any chances with the sole heir to Radiant Garden.

"Lord Larsa is not _nearly_ as unwell as _you_ are."

"So the fact that I am ill most days means I can't even go and see the ocean even though Balamb is in our territory!"

"You are not going!" Leon snapped, glaring at his younger brother with an icy stare. "I forbid it."

"But Leon-!"

"I forbid it!"

Sora pulled a fierce scowl on his face, yelling loudly, "You can't keep me locked up in a tower forever!"

"Sora-"

"It's not fair! I don't want to be stuck in some tower for the rest of my life just because of my health!"

"It's for your safety," Leon insisted.

"But what if I _don't want_ to be protected!"

"Well it's too bad," Leon growled, his patience thinning considerably. "Remember your position as well as your health."

"I don't _care_ about my position _or_ my health!"

"You are not going!" Leon finally bellowed, standing up from his seat, looking at the boy with a glare. "And that's final!"

Sora's shocked expression spoke volumes, and Leon immediately regretted having snapped in such an extreme way at him.

"Sora, I-"

"I will obey…" Sora grumbled, his face having changed into a despondent and disappointed expression. He then turned on his heel and slowly left, dejected. Leon chose to be silent, feeling powerless to change the situation. He was a king. A king's word couldn't easily be changed. Even if he were talking to another as a brother and not as a sovereign.

It was one of those unwritten laws that would come into play at the most inconvenient of times. The ones that no one could ever change, no matter how hard they tried, or what position they had.

* * *

Sora was flouncing about angrily, no longer wanting to join the ongoing festivities. All thanks to his high and mighty brother, the king.

"All I want is to get out!" he fumed. "I want to be freed of this cage!"

It could be said that Sora saw himself as a caged bird of fancy; pretty to look at, beautiful voice, and yet blinded and barred from the outside world. His illness and his brother's over-protectiveness was the golden cage that imprisoned him. The castle walls were the enforcements.

He had no idea that he was being followed very closely by slinking shadows.

* * *

Roxas had been helping the pageboys, servants and other squires while the birthday feast for the king was still happening. It was amazing how much all these lords and ladies were eating. It seemed almost disgusting at the gross amount was going out and coming back in as leftovers and washing up. A few "outside help" squabbled over the carcass of a chicken that still had some meat on it, while others fought for vegetables, half-eaten puddings and other edibles as they came piling back into the kitchen. He pursed his lips. Did this also happen every time there was a feast in Hollow Bastion? He looked over to Mary, who was busy dividing up the leftover food fairly between everyone after getting annoyed at the lack of washing up being done.

"Dishes dinnae wash themselves, ye ken," she had muttered. It had made Roxas crack up into a smile. The tough Trabian woman was definitely the most sensible person he had met so far. "Hoi! Roxas! Dinnae stand there like a numpty! Hop ta it!"

"Hoi, Mary. Leave t'arab alone. His paws ain't used ta kitchen work!" one Trabian woman dared to comment.

"Away an' bile yer head ya Ba'heid! Ye dinnae ken whit yer talkin' aboot!"

Roxas put a hand over his mouth to cover up his laughter as he watched Mary tear her claws into the poor woman who really shouldn't have said a thing.

At that point, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around, face to face with a familiar woman. A moment's thought revealed to the former prince that this woman had been the hysterical lover that Axel had to reveal bad news from the battlefield that first day Roxas had arrived in Aurelias. "Is there a problem ma'am?"

"No problem. I just have a favour to ask," the woman smiled. "We're having trouble escorting some meat from the storage room. Could you please assist us?"

"Oh, of course." Roxas nodded his head, eager to help. "Though honestly, how much more can these nobles eat?"

"You should see them at the Mid-Winter Festival."

"Ah yes, I remember that the most food seemed to be consumed then…" Roxas murmured, walking towards the storage that the woman was talking about. She followed briskly behind, her face solemn. "What is your name anyway?" Roxas asked her, looking over his shoulder. She smiled.

"It's Lilith."

"That's a nice name."

"Thank you, Master Roxas."

* * *

"My prince," a voice called out in the corridors, making Sora freeze for a moment. He turned around.

"Yes?"

Standing before him was a man clothed in the traditional Trabian garb. The young prince assumed this was one of Axel's men, seeing as the flame-haired warrior had many Trabians working on his lands.

"It has been requested for you to proceed to the gardens."

"By whom?"

"The lady Kairi."

"Oh!" Sora smiled greatly. Meeting up with Kairi was a welcomed distraction from the anger he felt for the king. And Zexion was always going on about how one couldn't leave anyone waiting, especially if it was a lady who requested for one to see her. Chivalry and all that. "I'll go meet her right away. Thank you!" He dashed off for the garden, unaware of the Trabian following him still.

* * *

"So what was it that needs to be moved?" Roxas asked as they entered the store room, seeing there were few other men in the room.

"That one over there." Lilith pointed at half a bull that had been left to hung over a smoky fire. Roxas quirked an eyebrow.

"Not meaning to sound like I don't want to help, but don't you think the men here is more than enough to take it down?" Roxas asked her as he turned his back.

It proved to be a fatal mistake.

With a sonorous clunk, Roxas felt something whack him across the head. He crumpled to the floor, his vision blackened. The voices he heard were faint and buzzing, the floor seemed to spin underneath him. In only a matter of seconds of confusion…he blacked out.

* * *

"Kairi! Kairi! Where are you?" Sora called out as he entered the gardens. He frowned when his friend's voice didn't respond. "Jeez, if you wanted to meet up with me, then at least respond back."

He sighed as he took a seat on a stone bench, elbows on his knees, hands cupping his own face. "If Riku was here…he'd keep me company…not let me wait out here on my own."

It did strike him odd for Kairi to request for him and yet not be here waiting for him, unless she had been called back in by someone. But even that seemed odd. Kairi was a feisty girl who'd make sure that what she had planned would come first, always negotiating ways around other people's needs and requests. He drummed his fingers against his cheeks impatiently. If Kairi didn't appear in the next minute or so, he was going back to his tower room and behave like one of those princesses Demyx was crooning about since Leon wanted him to be like one so much.

Patience, however, was not one of Sora's best qualities. With a fierce growl, he kicked at the path and stood up. He was far too aggravated to wait, whether it was polite to or not.

It was at that moment something grabbed him from behind. "Ah! Hey! Lemme go!" Something has pressed to his mouth and nose. A rag…but the scent on it was so putrid and ghastly to the prince's sensitive nose that it immediately reminded him of his own filthy illnesses that had plagued him throughout his life. And then there was that smell…of alcohol…a dizzying amount of it. It promptly knocked the young prince out, his whole world becoming fuzzy shapes and giddy patterns of colours.

* * *

Axel excused himself from a dance (that he was all too glad to get away from) just in the pursuit of seeing something else. Festivities were never really the most enjoyable things for the flame-haired warrior, but he could put up with it. .And besides…it got him away from that monster that was his future.

"Ye look like a banshee just screamed in yer ear," Mary commented as her master entered the kitchens. Luxord who was with her looked at her with a disapproving look.

"If only it were that," Axel grumbled.

"Ohhhhh." Mary nodded her head in understanding. "Givin' ya jip that un?"

"Remind me again why I have any relations to that woman?"

"Because, my lord, she happens to be your fiancée," Luxord droned. He couldn't blame Axel for not liking the lady Larxene. Did anyone for that matter? She was probably the most unkind and cruel woman to walk the earth. The common folk demonised her. The merchant class trembled at the very mention of her. The nobility disliked her to the point that they would try to conveniently "forget" about her when arranging events. Her only saving grace was that she was part of the family that ruled over a quarter of Boreas while the king was away, hence making her a very valuable catch.

Axel wished that he had a chance to strangle his father for ever arranging such an engagement.

Taking his mind off of his banshee of a fiancée, he looked around in hope of seeing a familiar tuft of golden blond hair…only to see that there was none around. "Where is Roxas?"

"He went off ta help Lilith," Mary responded. "More meat was needed. How much more can pompous peacocks eat?"

"But no one else is eating."

"Eh?"

"My lord?"

"There weren't any more orders for more food." Axel raised a bemused brow. "And the pageboys are clearing the mess up as we speak."

True to his word, pageboys were coming in with dirty plates and platters, looking like model trainee servants. Mary's eyes went wide. "Then why the _hell_ would that lassie lie for?"

"I don't know," Axel murmured. "But I'm going to find out." He made his way over to the storage room, wondering what was going on.

* * *

Riku hadn't yet seen the prince after he and his brother had disappeared elsewhere. Judging how some servants were chattering about the brothers bickering in the study, he guessed the prince needed some company.

"He's probably in his chambers now," he murmured to himself, walking around all the jovial courtiers and guests to make his way to the spiral staircase, but stopping when he had a thought. Why would the prince go to his chambers? That would be the last place he would want to go. If he didn't want to be found than he would go…to the gardens, right? He changed direction and headed out to the bailey, feeling the cool breeze hit his face. Lovely clear night. The moon was bright, the stars were shining, not a cloud in the sky. He smiled slightly, sitting down on the step.

"But he'll be even madder if I go there and start calling him by his title like I ought to. He hates that." He kicked at a few stones that shined a pale white colour in the moonlight. Back in Hollow Bastion, he and the young princes used to play a game when they snuck out at night. Roxas would leave a trail of shining "moonstones" for Riku and Cloud to follow while he would hide. It was up to the other two to follow the trail and track him down.

He chuckled lightly. What a silly childhood game. How could following a trail of stones help later on in life? It seemed almost as stupid as playing hide and seek in the cellars to cure Cloud's fear of the dark. Pointless really.

He watched as some Trabians started carrying a bag over to a cart, and then another group coming back from the gardens with a limp body in their…wait just a moment! He squinted his eyes to make out the shape…yes, that was a person there, a young boy, and he was wearing the exact same outfit he had dressed the prince in! He jumped to his feet and started marching over.

"Hey! Drop that boy!"

The men turned and one of them came charging at the silver-haired servant, headbutting the youth to the floor, pressing a knife to his neck. Riku froze, winded, but knew that one wrong move could mean the end.

"Oi! Leave 'im! We gotta get outta 'ere!"

The youth felt his head being whacked into by a fist, leaving him nursing his head while the group gathered themselves together and started running through the open gate that had been left for guests and the like to leave through. Riku shakily pulled himself up, yelling for the guards, screaming for them to stop the escaping kidnappers.

But it was far too late. They were gone. The portcullis had shut only to catch the dust the kidnappers' horses and cart had left behind. Riku gripped the cold metal, in disbelief that for a moment of negligence, his young charge had been snatched away.

* * *

The revellers gone, the servants solemnly cleaning up the mess that had been left behind, the great hall seemed dull and listless. Leon was pacing like the proud lion his family was affiliated with, his expression numb but his eyes telling a story. Axel stood before him, his green gaze watching him carefully, knowing that he was in a dangerous position as the servant Riku had identified several of the men that were working under him. Cloud was present too, as the disappearance of Roxas had been linked to the kidnapping of Prince Sora, and he wanted to know what was going on, as did Zexion as this troubled him deeply. There were a few others, but most prominent among them was the former Regent Lady Edea, her face grim and wracked with woe.

"How did this happen?" Leon finally spoke, his words tense with anger. No one responded. He glared at them all, demanding for answers with intense stormy eyes. When no one did, he turned on Axel. "You realise the position you are in, correct?"

"I do," Axel said calmly, head held high, keeping a calm and confident stance.

"Your loyalty right now is questionable."

"My loyalty lies firmly with you," Axel remarked. "As it has done for many years."

"And yet it is your men that are branded as kidnappers."

"You think I would plot a kidnapping with them?"

"How about your squire?" Leon questioned.

"What of him?"

"How do I know that he hasn't been going behind your back, plotting kidnappings and ways to recapture his homeland?"

Cloud rose to speak in his brother's defence, but his mouth was immediately clamped down by the shorter chief advisor, a dark indigo eye warning him against speaking out during this "trial". Axel stood firm, his emerald eyes glaring back at the king. "You can question my choice in workers and you can question my loyalty, but never question about Roxas. He has too much honour and pride to sink to the level of kidnappers, thieves and murderers."

The sentiment had made Cloud a bit startled. This man clearly would defend Roxas with his life, and he was right about one thing. Roxas would never dream to stoop to such a level, and yet he, the elder, would. It made him think over his initial plans. But it certainly made him wish to help in the bid to clear his brother's name, even if the man had been his enemy.

"And if it is proved that he is a conspirator? What will you do then?" Leon asked.

"I will…deal with him as seen fit," Axel muttered, clearly having trouble even uttering the sentence. "He is my responsibility."

Leon nodded his head. "Good." He walked away from the flame-haired warrior, the only man to have ever scarred him significantly. "Good."

* * *

Riku couldn't bear it any longer. They were taking too long to decide on what to do. What was it with this court having to plan every step?! Couldn't they be a bit more spontaneous?! It was at this point the youth decided to take matters into his own hands. If both boys were in danger, then time was of the essence. Having donned dark clothing and prepared a horse, he timed his departure. Butchers would arrive with a supply of meat in a few moments. It was his only chance to track down the prince's and Roxas' kidnappers.

The portcullis rose for the butchers' cart to come through. Riku kicked his horse forward and galloped past, ignoring the shouts and shrieks of surprise.

Sora he was sure would be kept alive for ransom. Roxas however was an entirely different case. He had to choose which boy to follow, and which one to lose.

And for Riku, a youth who had loyalty to both boys, the choice was a very difficult one to make.


	24. Trapped

**A/N:** Hello! It's been a while I know but I can explain for the huge delay.  
REASON NO.1: Major writer's block! I kept writing and rewriting parts I didn't like for ages! (Plus, everytime I felt like the chapter had a decent ending, I'd have a second thought and redo it again. Yeah. That bad.)  
REASON NO.2: I went "backpacking" around Japan with my family for two weeks so by the time I got back I was pretty much exhausted so I couldn't even think about writing up the next chapter (though, in all fairness, I did come up with a little intro for another story that I won't give too many details about right now because I really just want to finish HUS first before going into another major project)  
REASON NO.3: Can you say "no internet" or "first job"? Yeah: I had them both at the same time!!

So anyhoo, thanks to everyone who's still reading this and reviewing this old girl! I know chapters are few and far between at points but seriously, the amount of effort I put into them really makes it worthwhile (I hope XD)! Please keep on reading! And reviewing (for they are my green tea flavoured ice cream (blame Japan. I've gotten an acquired taste for them))!

**

* * *

Trapped.** A word that could best describe what all those involved with the prince Sora and the squire Roxas' kidnapping.

Sora found himself trapped by a bunch of Trabian thugs, thrown into a cart, no familiar face to be found. He had woken up hours after his kidnap, scared witless by the sounds, unsure of his own fate and thinking with remorse how the last time he saw his brother they had been arguing. Would anyone notice that he was gone? Would they miss him? Even though he had been such a pain to everyone?

No one was there to comfort him. Not his brother, not his friends, not even Riku.

And his personal servant was slowly becoming the one he just wished to see at least once more, if there was anyone he wanted to see again.

In comparison, Roxas' feelings of being trapped came in the form of being tied up. He had come around faster than his kidnappers had expected, making a huge fuss and screaming at them to let him go through his fabric prison. It had been a while later that he had been allowed to see what was going on, but he was dragged to a tree, seeing people he knew from Axel's workforce and others he did not. Most notable of them all was Lilith.

"We apologise, _your highness_, for the uncomfortable arrangements…oh wait, we don't care," Lilith said snidely, an impish little smile on her face.

Roxas realised that this woman had just lost her mind.

"If it's about your lover, there's no need for this!"

Roxas flinched when a cold sharp knife hit the rough bark of the tree, only millimetres away from clipping his ear. He gulped.

"It's because of you and the rest of those _stupid_ Strifes that this war ever happened! If the old fool just agreed to peace terms, none of this would've happened!"

* * *

"Dammit!" Leon's fist banged against the seat of his throne, frustration welling up as news of the servant Riku's escape reached him. On top of that, he had stolen a horse from the stables.

"Calm down my liege. We'll have the prince, young Roxas and the servant brought back, safe and sound," Zexion soothed, though he knew that Riku had now a charge of horse thievery over his head and had made himself a suspicious character in the eyes of everyone else. For all anyone knew, Riku could've been the person who was the mastermind of this plot. The only flaw with that possibility was that Riku would have had some lingering loyalties to Roxas, so what would've been his motive to kidnap him too?

"I don't see why you don't take an example from Riku's actions," Cloud muttered, earning him the attention of everyone in the room.

"Oh?" Leon growled at him irritably, standing up from his seat. "Something you'd like to say?" There were challenging mutters from advisors and courtiers who wanted to take part in the salvation of their prince. Cloud stood firm, arms crossed in front of him defensively, his eyes defying everyone in the room.

"The problem with this court is that you plan every little detail to one attack and yet when something like this comes out of the blue, you're nothing but a bunch of headless chickens! You can't act upon instinct! You can't be spontaneous! And right now, being just that is what both of those boys need! You can't plan a rescue mission if you don't know where they are! What do you think Riku is doing right now?"

Pure and utter silence greeted the concubine's outburst, as if their stubborn hearts were unwilling to take upon themselves such criticism. Leon himself looked like he was going through various emotions as it sunk in that his usually analytical mind was not going to help his brother. Cloud's eyes were unfaltering, keeping his head held high and not moving an inch. "You are not the only one who has just had his brother stolen. Remember that."

"Sir Axel?! Where are you going?!"

King and concubine turned their heads to see the redhead storming away to the door. Cloud smiled weakly. His words had not fallen upon deaf ears.

"Axel!" Leon shouted. "Wait here!"

The warrior didn't even look back, even though he stopped for a fleeting moment. "I apologise, highness…but this time, I can't obey you." He walked through the doors, calling for a horse and weapons. Leon's hand curled up into a fist. Cloud started walking away.

"It looks like my words have spurned on someone who truly does care for the welfare of those two boys…" He looked at him with one mercilessly cold blue eye. "How about you? Are you willing to throw away all your planning and your scheming for the sake of your brother?"

Leon seemed to have been frozen in time as he just stared at where his knight had just been, his fist shaking with the pent up frustration at feeling so weak and powerless to do anything at all. He then released it. "We're going to do things that servant's way. I want a troop of soldiers ready to march, and a seasoned tracker. We're going to find the prince and Axel's squire if it's the last thing we do. We don't come back unless we have a result."

Rounds of salutes replied to their king's command as the great hall bustled with life. Cloud just stood around, watching them work like ants scrambling around in the search for food for their colony. Zexion stood with him, unable to join in the search due to his injury. The king had forbidden him to come along.

"So the king goes running head long into danger again," the chief advisor sighed, lightly touching where his stab wound was. "It seems like you had been right, Cloud."

"Right about what?"

"In our bid to be the 'perfect barbarians', we forgot our impulsive nature…well, I should say their impulsive nature."

"Spontaneity not part of your character?"

"I'm afraid it's not in my blood to be reckless. But if the situation calls for it, maybe it is best that I stay behind."

"You act as though this is the worst situation that could happen."

"It is. I'm totally useless in such a position." Zexion bowed his head, defeat sinking in. "All I can do now is to wait and pray and safeguard this place."

* * *

Riku had come to a place where the roads split into two; one headed for Trabia while the other headed for a dense forest. And the trails of both parties were heading both ways, making it clear he had a choice to make. Either he followed Sora, a political hostage or he followed after Roxas, who could be in danger for more personal reasons. He pursed his lips, looking between one path and the other.

Taking a deep breath, he gathered shining white stones on the path and started positioning them into a shape that would guide the surely oncoming search party that would be looking for the boys, knowing that he would go the other way to catch up to the other boy and hopefully rescue him. Once satisfied that they would see it, he got on the horse that he had borrowed and encouraged it to go down the other path, galloping as fast as the horse could in order to catch up with the kidnappers.

He felt a large pit in his stomach as he prayed that he had made the right choice.

* * *

Axel had barely reached the road that split in two when a score of men lead by the king and an expert tracker finally reached him. He turned Flame around slightly, looking at the oncoming group with a fiery look in his emerald eyes.

"Must say, my lord," the tracker, a man well into the prime of his life with greying features yet lithe build, began carefully. "You left us a good trail to follow, and I'm sure that silver-haired boy in turn gave you a good path as well."

The flame-haired warrior almost snapped at the somewhat drawling tracker for his innate ability to be so blindingly obvious but he held back his tongue, continuing his way as he ignored the group coming behind him. It was clear to him that they were only here for the prince. Then fine; they could worry about the prince, he'll deal with his squire. He was about to take the path that would guide him to the road that led to Trabia but a loud yell of surprise stopped him.

"Wait Sir Axel! It looks like we've been left a breadcrumb trail by the servant!"

Axel turned immediately, watching as the tracker bent down to look upon the path that led to the dark forest. The king rode forward, looking over his shoulder.

"An arrow?"

"It seems this servant is a far better tracker than I had imagined," the tracker mused. "Perhaps he had been trained if a situation such as this arose."

"But will it lead us to them?" Axel questioned tetchily.

"It's all we've got to go on," the tracker replied. He then pointed to the Trabian road. "It would be harder to track them on open roads because their tracks would've been mixed up with hundreds of others. Plus, they'd want to avoid open roads anyhow if they have a high profile hostage such as the prince. The forest is a much more likely place to start."

The king nodded his head as he listened to all this, it all making sense to him.

"My liege, we await your orders." A score and two eyes were on him, waiting for the final decision. He nodded his head, feeling sure that there was where they would find them.

"Head for the forest and start the search there."

"At once, my liege."

* * *

Roxas felt like a caged animal as he was tormented by his captors, trying to wriggle and struggle out of his bonds but finding it to be a valueless task.

"Why, do you not like our company _highness_?" Lilith sneered, staring down at him with a darkly triumphant look on her face, a knife dangling in her hands. "Are we too _common_ for the likes of you?"

"Lilith, you have to stop this," Roxas tried to reason with her, his voice shaky but his courage stiff as a board. "If you get caught, you'll only be sentenced to death and not even Axel can overrule that."

"If anything, I believe Sir Axel would whole-heartedly execute me himself," Lilith muttered dryly, putting her knife under Roxas' jaw so that it tickled the skin, "since I would've put his precious little doll in jeopardy."

"What do you mean by that?" Roxas asked carefully, trying not to aggravate the woman he had now concluded to be insane.

"Come now, have you ever wondered why you were kept alive and not slaughtered like a pig like you ought to have been?"

Roxas stayed mute, watching her with shaking sapphire eyes. He had wondered…but he wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer.

"Oh it's quite simple. What a fine prize the youngest prince of a conquered kingdom would be for the man who had slain hundreds of men in the ecstasy of war. What a reward to boast about to every shallow noble up and down this kingdom about his feats in the conquests he had taken part in." She pulled his hair, making the young boy wince in pain, the knife point stroking up and down his throat. "What a fair trade. A hundred of his own men for one meaningless and worthless pampered prince." Her voice was harsh, her words a deadly poison. It had left their mark on the blond youth. It had been a truth he would rather have been ignorant of, but now it would plague his mind for as long as he lived.

Which didn't seem to be very long at all now…

* * *

They searched high and low in the forest, tracking to the best of their ability. A bit of disturbed foliage here, a hoof-print left in the mud, bits of broken twig and branch there; the tracker had proven his worth as he lead the score of men through the forest. It didn't seem long until they heard loud brash voices and smelt the fragrant odour of burning wood and alcohol. Abandoning their horses near trees, they crawled through the undergrowth towards the sounds until they came upon the drunken yet dark scene. Axel almost leapt to his feet at the sight of Roxas in a bid to all hasten to his rescue but it had been Leon who stilled him with one firm hand.

"We can't move yet. You'll put us all in danger if you rush in as well as the boy. And besides…" The king looked around, trying to catch sight of his own brother. "Where's Sora?"

Axel couldn't answer as he watched the scene, recognizing the sole woman of the group. Her face was so clear in his mind on that fateful return from battle, so distraught and grievous of her loss. "Lilith…"

* * *

Roxas closed his eyes tightly in hopes of it all disappearing like a dream once he opened his eyes, but found himself still staring into the eyes of hatred. He felt the knife point still being held precariously close to his throat. "I wonder…is it possible that dear old Sir Axel is actually a sodomite? That he kept you for such wants and desires?" She smirked evilly. "Considering the woman he's supposed to marry is such a harpy, I wouldn't blame him for turning so quickly away from the 'right and holy way'. Maybe I should save her ladyship from such hardship."

It was at that point Roxas felt a sharp pain on his throat as the knife cut a line down the skin, making him flinch and whimper in pain. "Such pretty pale skin." The knife was moved to his face and that too scratched the skin in a long ruby line. "Such a darling little face. It would put a woman's to shame."

"Stop it…" Roxas whispered.

"I'm sorry, but I don't take orders from the dead," Lilith cackled, her face contorted into such a monstrous thing. She was looking right into his eyes. "I bet it's those eyes that put Sir Axel under your spell. They make me want to put them out."

Faster than anyone could blink, a loud _whump_ echoed in the still forest air. A man fell down dead, a large spiked charkram protruding from his back. Everyone went still, eyes darting around the place. Lilith snarled, keeping the knife blade at Roxas' throat.

"Sir Axel…no point in hiding now. You've just announced your unwanted presence."

There were looks of disbelief and despair when the king's men saw Axel throw one of his trademark charkrams at one of the kidnappers, the warrior's face shadowed by the darkness though his anger and intent clear exuding from him. They gathered their arms, crawling a little closer towards them but Axel took upon the challenge set down, standing tall and striding in, his steps light as if he were really gliding across the ground like some bringer of death rather than like a mortal man. The captors huddled close together, bringing out their poles and cutting knives; anything that could work as a weapon that was close to hand they took. With a harsh tug, Axel took back his bloodied charkram, spinning it in his hand, toying and threatening them with a devilish smirk.

"One less person for the hangman to worry about," he spoke softly, his eyes darting from one frightened face to another, like a wolf choosing his prey before he made the first dash towards a flock of sheep. Lilith stood firm, pressing her knife-blade closer to Roxas' neck, stained with his blood. Axel's emerald-coloured eyes finally laid to rest on Lilith's, his charkrams dancing on his fingers as he restrained himself from attacking. "Let him go."

"Why should I?" Lilith challenged, grabbing Roxas' hair and pulling his head up to reveal more of his already cut neck.

"Are you really willing to kill another for the sake of Edam?" Axel asked her softly, his voice still a low dangerous hiss.

"His life was sacrificed for a pointless war prize!"

"Do the rest of the people think that?"

"Edam…and all those men died for nothing!"

"It seems like that, but they went down fighting for a cause they believed in. Edam fought to protect you!"

"Then will you fight for this one?" Lilith started to cut another red trail down Roxas' pale neck. "Or is he just another toy that can be thrown away when he's not useful to you anymore?"

"I swear that if you continue this Lilith…"

"Well is he?"

Roxas chewed on his lip, closing his eyes as he hoped what ever came next would be painless. He watched as his young life flashed before his eyes, steeling himself for the ultimate darkness that would come.

Of course he was just some pretty little toy that Axel could just as easily throw away if he got bored of him. He was useless. He could barely protect himself let alone protect another person. He couldn't even be useful to his own brother in the heat of battle so what would make Axel think that he would-

"He isn't a toy."

Roxas' eyes snapped open at the quiet confidence of that statement, at the lack of hesitation in the flame-haired man's sentiment. Their eyes met in that very instant, the other's emerald gaze almost assuring him that they would both get out of this alive, even if the situation looked hopeless on the surface.

"Roxas has never been a toy or a tool to me. And he never will be either. So, for your own sakes, I suggest you surrender. You may get a more merciful punishment from the jurors if you come quietly."

Lilith narrowed her eyes at Axel, loosening her grip lightly. "Merciful punishment?"

"Yes. That'll mean a not so immediate death sentence."

"But will it be worth all the trouble I've gone through for my love? Will a death unavenged be the reward for all my toiling?"

"So you will not surrender?"

"I'll go to my death gladly!!" Faster than anyone could blink, she had thrown the knife straight at Axel and tossed Roxas aside so that he hit a tree with a resounding _whump_. What had landed with a thud however had been the knife planting itself into the soft yet bony flesh oh Axel's shoulder, blood seeping through the wound and dying his green tunic a muddy red. Roxas watched in horror as Axel gasped in surprise, stumbling slightly from the force but looking at the knife as if it had just suddenly grown out of him. Without even a blink, the flame-haired warrior plucked the knife out of his hand and let it drop to the floor, staring at Lilith with cold, calculating green eyes, a cold smirk gracing his face.

"That…was foolish."

He sprang into action as did the rest of Lilith's team of rogues, leaping around and swinging his charkrams in a swift and deadly fashion, looking like he was in a macabre dance as blood splattered everywhere. His emerald eyes looked insane with bloodlust, shocking all who were present, especially young Roxas who looked completely startled by this sudden change in the usually well-meaning man that had cared for him so far.

It had only taken a few more seconds for the king's men to come pouring in from all sides, on strict orders not to kill all of the rogues and principally not the woman of the group. However, it seemed as though, in Axel's rage, that order was going to be difficult to follow through. As iron swords crashed against each other, and blood was spilt, it had been Lilith that had ended the red-haired man's irate rampage. Grabbing the knife that had been stained with both the blood of Axel and of Roxas, she stabbed it through the stomach once he had turned on her with murderous intent. His green eyes widened in shock, looking down dumbly at the blade that stuck out of his abdomen.

On the sidelines, Roxas had felt his mouth go dry. Too scared to help and feeling so weak, he couldn't even scream when he saw Axel struck down like that. He could only watch in paralyzed horror as Axel fell to his knees, blood staining his tunic and dripping to the moist soil. Time seemed to be dragging its heels in the sapphire-coloured eyes of the youth, watching the gang being forced onto their knees by soldiers and then seeing the king himself approach him, his stormy eyes looking at Roxas with the kind of desperation and anguish he had never seen before.

"Roxas, are you alright?"

The blond couldn't move, and when he tried to speak, his mouth would open but no sound would be brought out. He seemed to look past the king, seeing Axel grimacing in pain as he tried to stop the blood from flowing in vain.

"Don't look at Axel. Look at me," the king murmured, taking the boys face with his hand. "You won't want to see what happens."

It was then Roxas did something he never thought he would do. He stood up, completely ignoring Leon, running straight to Axel, skidding onto his knees once he was close enough, more concerned for his new 'master' than anything else, despite his own wounds. A soldier had come back from the fire with a glowing red-hot iron sword, as it was well known that a wound could be protected from infection by burning the injury though it would cause pain.

"Please move out of the way Master Roxas!"

"But-!"

He felt a large warm hand rest on his head, making him turn to see that it was Axel who had curbed him, a weak yet somehow assuring smile on his face. "Just stand aside Roxas…"

The blond could only nod numbly, shifting away as Axel was manoeuvred onto his back, being supported by two other soldiers.

"This will be painful, Sir Axel."

"Just get on with it," Axel grumbled through gritted teeth, gasping in pain as the knife was pulled out. Roxas almost felt like he could hurl at the sight of that knife that had been stained by both of their blood. But he stayed in his place, not willing to leave Axel's side, even when the red-hot metal was pressed onto his wound, making the flame-haired man screech in agony.

Leon had watched for a moment, knowing that the knight that had grown up with him had numerous burns and scars from past battle wounds he had survived from. But what had shaken the young king had not been the lack of evidence on the whereabouts of his brother. No…what had shaken him was the pure hatred on the face of the woman that was now on her knees, doomed to die at the end of the hangman's noose, just as she had foreseen though not in the vain gloriousness that she had hoped for. He wrapped his arms closer to his body, looking up at the leafy canopy of the forest.

"Revenge…makes monsters of us…" he mused.


	25. Revelation

**A/N:** All I can say is that I'm in DESPERATE need of an inspiration injection. All of a sudden it seems such a struggle to write anything thanks to our old friend the writer's block. And I'm jumping at the first chance of getting into London or to some castle town as soon as it comes up. HUS is in DESPERATE need of a inspiration trip. Otherwise, it's dead dead dead. Like Magnetic Attraction right now (sorry to all fans of M.A. who are reading this. I can't get out a decent chapter for it and I feel like I'm whipping a dead horse in vain). If it's any consolation, I know where I want to go with this, and once I get to a point that I like, the rest should be easy (change of pace and all that). So reviewing me will make me want to work harder for you guys! So please, keep on reading and reviewing! For they are my...um...chocolate-chip shortcake! -very quickly running out of sweets that she likes- Thanks all! -huge kisses and hugs-

* * *

**Revelation.** An event that opens the eyes of those too blind to see the truth of what they are pursuing. It could also mean the catalyst to a series of events that could either cause the rise of a person or his downfall.

Such was the revelation of King Leon at how a body could become such a monster from lust for revenge and hatred. It had troubled him, made him question his own actions and thoughts. Had he himself, once so blinded by rage, become a monster? He seemed to believe so. It seemed like the loss of his young brother and the stiff price of victory over different kingdoms were linked together by his stubborn pride. What's more, it had clearly put people that he cared about in danger. Axel was in a guest room recovering from his injury, passed out from loss of blood and exhaustion. And only weeks beforehand, Zexion had been injured trying to sabotage a plot against the king. And now Sora…

It was a burden too heavy even for Leon to bear. But his own pride disallowed him to even show the slightest bit of the turmoil he was being put through. As a result, the king had pretty much locked himself away in his study, refusing audiences and planning ways of finding the only surviving member of his family on top of his royal duties.

* * *

Cloud had been unusually expressive with his relief for his brother's return, having embraced him tightly when the king and his men returned with Roxas, but the youth had been distant, almost frozen to the touch. It had become clear to the concubine later on that his brother's strange behaviour had been caused by the injured Axel, who now was laid down in a room to rest. Roxas had not left his side since last night, not having slept or eaten at all, and not having said a word to anyone, not even to his own brother. It worried Cloud. It truly did.

"You have to eat Roxas," he said softly, trying to push food towards the youth but Roxas would have none of it. "Roxas…please."

"It was my fault…" the blond youth finally said. Cloud went mute, very slowly putting a hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "If I wasn't so gullible…if I weren't so useless…Axel wouldn't…he wouldn't…"

"Hush," Cloud whispered, giving Roxas a comforting squeeze. "Pessimistic talk will not help Axel get better."

The boy went silent, going back to looking at the man that lay there motionless on the bed, bandaged and cleaned from the previous nights encounter. Cloud watched his brother's hand stray towards his own wound on his neck, that too having been bandaged by swaddle. "I…don't want to be useless anymore Cloud…"

"You're not-"

"I am! I couldn't help you back at that battle! I couldn't help Axel! I couldn't even defend myself from Yazoo! Kairi had to come and help!"

"Wait…what?" Cloud looked astounded at the new knowledge that Yazoo had actually _attacked_ his younger brother.

"I'm useless. And I'm tired of being just that. I want to be able to do something for once! I don't want to be the one that's always getting into trouble! I…I…"

Cloud brought him into an awkward side hug, but the younger blond shrugged him off. "I don't want to be the boy that sat on the sidelines and couldn't do a thing to help when it mattered most anymore…I had enough of that burden…"

"Roxas…"

"You should go Cloud. I'm sure you're needed somewhere."

For a moment, Cloud actually felt a bit hurt at being brushed off, but then again he understood the distress Roxas was going through. The younger blond had been kidnapped, been inches away from the face of death and had nearly lost someone he had clearly become very close to. He sighed and nodded. "Alright. I suggest you eat though. Axel's manservant seems the type to not let food go wasted."

"Try drink," Roxas stated dryly, putting on a brave face despite his melancholy thoughts.

Cloud smiled at his brother weakly and then shut the oak door behind him, leaning against it and sighing quietly, rubbing a hand across his face. How had such a night meant for celebration become such a nightmare? And not just for everyone, but for Leon especially. His younger brother was still lost, and it seemed that Riku had taken upon himself to find him. He closed his eyes.

"Riku," he murmured, "why are doing this alone?"

* * *

The group of rebels had stopped for the night once they were as far from the royal summer home as possible, but not once had they noticed someone following them under the cover of darkness. Riku had released the horse a while back once he had caught sight of the wagon moving at walking pace, knowing that he could keep up on foot if he treaded carefully. Once they had stopped, he had concealed himself in nearby bushes, knowing that the only way to gain the rebels trust was if he didn't look the part of the dutiful servant, but as the part of the rogue who was willing to blackmail them in order to gain something from them. With a deep breath, he started to wash his face and clothes in the dirt, tearing his clothing in a few places, ruffling up his hair and even took a knife to his hair to make himself appear as a beggar than a member of the royal household. He sighed. If his brothers could see him now, they would just want to murder him even more than they already did. Not that it mattered anymore anyway. He didn't consider himself a Jenova to any further extent than he considered himself a prisoner of Radiant Garden. It was strange how such things could change in such a short time.

Or maybe he had thought himself not a Jenova long before coming here, but just never realised it.

Shaking himself away from such thoughts, he made his way over to the campfire in the centre, announcing his entrance by kicking over a pile of logs that had been taken out of the caravan a little while ago.

"Hoi! Who's there?!" The group jumped to their feet, unsheathing their short swords and pointing them threateningly at the mysterious boy that had appeared out from nowhere. The boy remained firmly in his spot, toying with a small round log that he could easily wrap his hand around with one hand, looking at them with almost serene green eyes. "Who are ya laddie?"

"Ukir," the boy responded in a common accent, twiddling the log slowly in his hand. "I want to rest by your fire and have some food."

"What makes ya think we'd do that fer the likes of ye?!" an impetuous youthful Trabian, only just having grown a beard, demanded.

"I happen to know that you've got a precious cargo that I'm sure you wouldn't want _anyone_ to know about," Ukir smiled lightly, his eyes always darting from one person to the next in the ten-strong group. The reaction from the Trabians was one of general puzzlement on how this strange boy knew about what they were transporting back to their chilly homeland. A Trabian with dark hair and a full beard plaited with brightly coloured strings strode forward, short sword tightly gripped in his right. Clearly he was the leader of the group.

"I dinnae ken how ye kenned aboot the lad, but ye ain't gonna be around to tell anyone aboot it!" He raised his sword, about to strike but the boy suddenly shot the log he held in his hands at his gut, effectively winding him. The silver-haired Ukir kicked the short sword out of his hand, grabbing the blade once he pushed the man to the floor and pressed it to his neck.

"Don't move," Ukir warned the others, his face still a picture of tranquillity. "My demands are this: give me safe passage to Trabia, a fire to warm myself up with, food, a place to sleep and a share of the ransom money, not only will I keep quiet about the boy, I'll take care of him and make sure he stays fit. After all, a corpse only fetches half the ransom, right?"

No one argued with this kind of logic. To the Trabians, Ukir was clearly a wild boy who, while not particularly blessed with physical strength, definitely could best them when it came to agility and brainpower. Indeed, it seemed foolish to make an enemy to a person who could just as easily hand information over to their pursuers. Unanimously, Ukir's demands were met quite easily, though the wild boy refused to give back their leader's sword, declaring the Trabians' word insecure if he didn't have some form of protection. Once again, no one dared to argue once Ukir revealed his abilities with the short sword. An unfortunate rebel had had his finger swiped off when the wild boy made his point that he was not to be trifled with.

Deep down though, Riku knew that the power "Ukir" held would only be for a short period. He had to act before the group reached the snowy wilds of Trabia, otherwise Riku would soon join his old comrades from the battlefield in the afterlife, and the prince himself would be without a person to protect him.

* * *

Zexion's face was buried in his hands, exhausted from relaying orders around the castle sending trackers and messengers across the kingdom to find the missing prince and the servant that seemed to have disappeared after leaving the stony clue the night before. Lack of sleep and the inability to understand how the castle's forces had let their guard down in their folly was getting the best of the chief advisor, having sprawled himself onto his bed to rest for a moment.

"I'll have those gatekeepers whipped," Zexion grumbled, narrowing his eyes at some imaginary spot on the ceiling. He barely moved a muscle when he heard the door to his chambers open with a tentative creak.

"If it's a domestic issue, please consult Kiros," he droned. "I have enough on my plate as it is."

"I'm afraid it's a domestic issue that only you can solve Zexion."

The petit advisor sat up slowly, glaring at the tall Bhujerban that dared to disturb him while he was trying to rest. "I have no time to deal with you Demyx. In case you have not realised, we're in the middle of a crisis here."

"I understand that," Demyx said quietly, moving towards him in a way that he almost seemed to glide across the floor. "I also understand that you're exhausting yourself."

"What are you talking about?" Zexion stood from the bed, as if trying to prove some point that he had to support in order to be contrary to the bard. "I'm fine. I can carry on and do what has to be done."

"You cannot lie to me Zexion," Demyx smiled easily, folding his arms across his chest. "You're exhausted. You should lie down."

"I have too many things to worry about." He made to pass, but the bard grabbed his arm tightly, his grip refusing to release the other. "Let go."

"No."

"Demyx…please."

The bard was silent, bringing the advisor close to him, wrapping his arms around the mellowed advisor. Zexion felt his heart beat rush to his ears, cursing himself under his breath for acting like some incandescent maiden. But the close proximity…the scent of Bhujerban spices wafting off from Demyx's lean build…the soft breaths fanning on the back of his neck…Zexion was battling within himself to pull away from this alluring and yet infuriating rhymester. And he was almost certain that it would be the same story all over again. "Let me go."

"Hmm…when you're not threatening to castrate me? No thank you," Demyx chuckled in a low teasing manner.

"If you love me you'll let me go," Zexion warned, knowing he was manipulating Demyx again but he had no time to play these games he and Demyx were often in stalemate over. As expected, Demyx allowed himself to be manipulated, just standing behind the smaller man, watching him. Zexion found it unnerving. "Thank you…"

"You really should rest though," Demyx insisted. "You're no use to anyone if you collapse from fatigue."

"I can assure you that will not be the case," Zexion stated firmly, turning around to face the bard. He nearly jumped back when Demyx's face leaned closer.

"That as it may be, I did also mean…" he trailed off, his eyes darting to Zexion's bed, smiling with amusement when he saw the deep scarlet cross the scandalised advisor's face.

"Out! Out!"

Faster than Demyx could tell, the bard found himself being kicked out of the room with a vigour that had been absent from Zexion. "You spoony bard!"

The bard could only chuckle, sitting outside the door in a blatant refusal to leave. Zexion's will was weakening, he could tell. Any more strain and the last thing on the advisor's mind would be his anger towards him.

And besides, Zexion was in clear need of someone to help keep him standing when he was like this.

* * *

Cloud came out of the king's chambers with the lion skin cloak that Leon always wore in public appearances, having noticed that the king still had not left his study and it was getting bitterly cold. The cloak would be ample enough to keep him warm, as would setting up a fire in the fireplace. Of course, it was doubtless that his actions would be under suspicion. Even he was starting to mistrust his own intentions.

"You sure you're not going to be in trouble for having that?"

The blond turned swiftly on his heel at the voice, his eyes meeting with those of the king of Midgard who had yet to return to his own kingdom. Cloud held his tongue at being suddenly surprised like that.

"I…I was fetching this for him," Cloud muttered, keeping the cloak firmly in his arms, blue eyes glowing in a challenging way, like they always did. Zack raised an amused brow, smiling lightly.

"I heard that the king's new concubine was a wild wolf that needed to either be tamed, or hunted down and skinned for his fur," he commented. "But maybe the master needs to be tamed by the pet as well."

"Huh?"

"Nothing," Zack dismissed it, waving a hand jokily. "Just the musings of a young king. Well, not as young as Leon of course, but he acts like an old man most of the time with all his worrying."

The blond blinked, finding this man to be quite strange, and yet…he seemed wise beyond his own years. His hands clenched around the fur of Leon's cloak, shaking Zack's words out of his head. "Excuse me, your highness." With a respectful bow, the concubine turned to leave, the words from the foreign sovereign locked up within the corridors of his mind to ponder over later.

* * *

He waited for them all to lay sound asleep before making his next move, stepping lightly towards the wagon that held his ward. Climbing aboard, he found the prince blindfolded, gagged and tied-up, struggling against his bonds although he was clearly not strong enough to break them. Riku bent down, taking the gag off swiftly. Sora gasped as it was pulled away, quick frightened breaths escaping from his reddened mouth. "Who's that? What do you want?"

"Shhhh shhhh," Riku whispered, putting one cold finger against Sora's lips. "It's alright. It's just me."

"Ri-"

"Hush," he hissed, maybe a bit too harshly, but he could not risk to be recognised. "I want you to listen very carefully to me. Your kidnappers know me as 'Ukir', and for now, I've taken control by blackmailing them. Under no circumstances are you to call me by my name until I have figured out a way to escape. Do you understand me, my prince?"

Sora nodded his head, gulping lightly. To him, this did not sound like the soothing voice of his personal servant. This was the voice of a quick-witted thinker who would do anything to achieve his goal, even kill. It somewhat…alarmed the young prince. Then again, Sora had no inkling of Riku's past, but now wasn't the time to doubt. His life was now in the hands of someone he had come to trust his hopes and dreams in. There was no turning back now.

"Good," Riku whispered softly. "Now, be a good captive and co-operate. It'll make things go much more smoothly."

Cloud came into the study quietly, not wanting to disturb the king if he was in a foul mood. He had learned from experience that an infuriated Leon was not a person to be trifled with at all if all those nights being at the brunt of the king's frustrations had taught him anything. He padded across the rush strewn floor in his leather boots, seeing the king laying sprawled on his desk, finally having given up to sleep. Taking a deep breath he walked around behind him, wrapping the lion-skin around Leon's shoulders cautiously so not to disturb him. The desk seemed to have maps scattered across its surface, inkwell almost dry and quill pen resting lightly under the king's hand. What caught the concubine's eye was the bejewelled letter opener, the blade curved like a Dalmascan scimitar. It seemed tempting…and Cloud was almost going to give in, but he stopped himself from reaching for it. Killing Leon was not on his top priorities, as much as it pained him to even think of such an idea. Besides, he did help to find Roxas, who meant more to Cloud than ever before.

It was then he had his revelation. No, he couldn't kill Leon now, if not for saving his brother's life, but for the fact that Leon was offering to return Hollow Bastion to its rightful owners for a price. He had to go through with this bargain when his conscious didn't weigh so heavy. Swallowing down his pride, he pulled the furry cloak a little more over the king's sleeping form, taking quick steps away from him and the desk. He didn't want to stay for any longer than he had to. He didn't trust himself.

* * *

He didn't know how long it had been, but Axel wasn't going to deny it felt nice to be where he was. That being propped up in bed with a hand gentle stroking through the tuft of blond hair attached to his squire's head. He could do without the aching pain in his stomach but he wasn't going to complain. After all, it was his own fault for letting his rage get the better of him. Roxas snuffled a bit underneath his hand, his paling face tired and withdrawn from anxiety and despair, trying to push the hand away but the older man's hand was obstinate, still feeling the soft hair beneath his palm and fingers.

He closed his eyes, knowing that he had to get back on form again as quickly as possible if he was ever going to make that journey to Dalmasca's capitol. If he didn't, he faced a journey either back to Aurelias (which was preferable) or to Borealias to be cared for by his soon-to-be extended family (which was not preferable at all due to a certain…_reason_). He wondered if it was possible to mask the agony he was feeling in his gut. It was probable. This injury to his stomach was nothing compared to the almost threatening chance of amputations he faced in most battles. Yes, he could probably get away with it. Well, if he could fool Kairi that is. The girl seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to her brother and injuries.

Another snuffle from Roxas as he lifted his head heavily, forcing Axel to move his hand away as the other opened his bleary sapphire-hued eyes. The knight smiled quietly once the gears inside Roxas' brain finally jumped to a start.

"Axel?!"

"That would be me."

"Are you alright?! Shouldn't you be laying down?! Vexen said-!"

"Vexen acts like an overprotective mother hen. I should be laying down, but I'm not in immediate pain, so I won't. And yes, I'm fine. Stop worrying."

"Oh." Roxas calmed down a little, looking at him with concern but keeping quiet. He kept silent for a long while until he mumbled so quietly Axel had to strain his ears to hear it, "I'm sorry…"

"For what?"

"For causing you so much trouble…"

"What are you talking about?"

"Let me refresh your memory: you are stuck in bed with a huge gash in your stomach."

"What? This?" The redhead poked the bandage that covered the wound, feeling a stinging pain but keeping a straight face. "This is nothing."

"So you say. But that doesn't convince me. As far as I know, you surviving that attack was a miracle in itself."

"What? My life is just one miracle after another," Axel countered with a grin. His face then fell into a serious frown. "What of the bitch and her cohorts?"

"In the dungeons," Roxas responded quietly. "They're awaiting trial."

"They don't deserve it."

"Everyone deserves a fair trial," Roxas whispered quietly. "You can't decide who deserves to be fairly judged and who doesn't."

"Let me guess. Fair trials for all at Hollow Bastion."

"Yes."

"I wouldn't doubt that there was some deception going on in the background," Axel commented offhandedly. He didn't expect Roxas to stand up and glare at him.

"Do you and every other person in this bloody kingdom have to have a snipe at my homeland?! I'm getting sick of it!"

The redhead blinked, then scowled. So his squire was growing a backbone. Then fine, they can have a squabble. "Remember who you're speaking to."

"I don't care anymore! I worried myself sick about you but now, I'm wondering if I should've even hoped to have been saved by you!"

"Hold your tongue," Axel snapped harshly, feeling a terrible twinge in his heart at Roxas' statement. "I may change my mind about keeping you."

"Do then!" Roxas retorted, turning on his heel and slamming the door, not even realising the look of pain crossing Axel's face. The warrior regretted his choice of words…as did his new squire.

* * *

In her chambers, Edea rested her face into her hands, not liking the reading she had received from her cards. It was almost as if the future was just immersed in a thick blanket of moorland fog, obstructing her vision to get a clear view of the situation. All she knew was that the king had a difficult choice to make -clearly between staying and supervising the search for his brother and his servant and the peace treaty talks in Rabanastre- and it appeared that the one person represented by the 'Strength' card was going to influence the decision. The one aligned to the celestial lion.

What was also clear to the former Regent was that there would be more conflict and unsettling events with the amount of reversed cards from the suit of swords, the suit of misfortune and despair. And then the ace of cups and two of cups had popped up again. Truly, could such emotions and feelings of love ever develop in such troubling times? Edea hoped that that small light of hope would shine through the darkness that surrounded them. She wasn't sure how much calamity any of the powerful and wilful men that were in her midst could take.

What bothered her most was the 'Death' card. Things were going to change…or someone was going to die…very soon. And thus, this was the sorceress' revelation.


	26. Distance

**A/N:** ...

-blink-

...

-blink-

Do my eyes deceive me? Have I really pumped out a chapter in a mere FOUR days?! -faints promptly in disbelief- In other words: MY INSPIRATION HAS RETURNED! YAY-NESS! -pets Muses that seemed to have had abandoned me- So thank you so much to everyone who has rooted me on or given me a few ideas on what to do! My thanks especially go to _CruXsir-Cruxy-kun_ who has been really supportive! For that, you shall get cookies and much hugs!

And now, just to get somethings out in the open: I have updated my profile to show what I am currently working on right now, and what is on hiatus/on hold, and also what I might be planning to write (providing I keep writing notes down so that I don't forget them -has a terrible memory-). I have also come to the conclusion that I will finish this story even if it kills me (wow...I've been writing that phrase a lot lately XD) so fear not, gentle reviewers! Also of some interest is a section that lists the writers that I've been inspired by, so take a look, and maybe even pick up a book by them. They're quite well known names, so I doubt you'll find it hard to find their books!

And now...I have realised its been a while since I last responded to ANYONE'S reviews, so I'm going to list everyone I want to thank here for reviewing, and as soon as I get time from my working life, I will reply to your reviews (from Chapter 25 onwards). So, the list of signed reviewers is as follows:

_Yoru no Kuronue, KitaraStrife, TechnicolorHeart, Concise Complexity, Lycoris Valentine, Ebil Chameleon, Uchiha Sasha, animeobsession, Jibril2, Aindel S. Druida, Empress Satori, ForeverFallen304, Kitsune Kit, CruXsir-Cruxy-kun, you.broke.a.promise, Shadow Cat17, Bond of Flames, kyoskitten89, Murd3r4lyf3 _and last but not least_ Sky Blue Baby_

Anon reviewer thanks go to:  
**Broken Mushroom  
bigfan!  
**and **chibi**

All of you were a huge help for suggesting what I should do (such as someone pointing out that I had so much going on I didn't know what to do anymore, another saying I kinda lost my touch with the character's emotions and another suggesting I should bounce ideas off with someone else)! I have such wonderful reviewers! -cries- I am not worthy!

OK, please read and review everyone! For they are my mini biscuits selection!

* * *

**Distance.** The crimson-haired girl had noticed a sizeable gap had appeared between her brother and his squire. Roxas would not come near Axel, while Axel seemed to be becoming so much more defiant by not sticking to Vexen's instructions. Not to mention his temperament had changed for the worse if the poor slashed up scarecrow-soldier that was kept in the training rooms of the castle was anything to go by. The innocent dummy had to be re-stuffed and stitched up by the maids twice in one day, which caused rumours to circulate about the king's close friend and former squire. She would silence them all with a warning look if she heard ill talk of her brother. It was this distance between both knight and squire that had to be attended to first, while Axel was still injured.

"What troubles you Axel?" she asked carefully when she watched her brother move like a flurry of burning-coloured leaves in the autumn winds, his emerald eyes catching the dull light of the cellar room.

"Nothing," he grunted.

"Something touching upon Master Roxas perhaps?"

Another grunt, which gave indication of Kairi's correct guess. "I see. I'm quite surprised though. Roxas refused to leave your side the whole time, despite my tales of you always having some sort of miraculous recovery after every time you suffer some 'life-threatening' injury or disease."

"Don't you have anything better to do, you prattler," he grumbled, slashing the arm off the faux soldier.

"Why Axel, playing peacekeeper is _far_ more entertaining then sitting around _moping_ over the prince like every lady worth her salt is _supposed_ to be doing now." She then shrugged.

"You don't sound worried at all."

"Riku's with him. The prince trusts him completely, and so do I. Haven't you noticed that the prince had been a lot happier since Riku came into the picture?"

Axel stopped, as if to ponder over this fact. "…I have not."

"Exactly. You've been so preoccupied with Roxas and dealing with 'Larxene the Shrew' that you've failed to notice what's been going on around court." She smirked victoriously, tauntingly commenting, "What happened to the Axel I know? The one that always seemed to be on tender hooks when around the court, and yet happens to be the craziest warrior on the battlefield, second only to maybe Xigbar or the Abbot's knight back in Borealias."

"Hold back your tongue unless you want the scold's bridle."

"You know that threat won't work on me anymore brother dear," Kairi smiled sweetly. "I know you'll never make yourself go through with it."

"Kairi…" Axel's voice was low, almost warning the girl about going too far.

"Alright, alright, I'll leave it at that." She jumped off her perch, giving him a firm stare. "But I'm going to make you too pardon each other even if it kills me."

"Don't go that far," Axel droned, watching his sister leave the room…and then proceeded to take his anger out on the pitiful dummy.

* * *

Kairi's next stop had been the bailey. The former fourth prince of Hollow Bastion had taken to busying himself in the affairs of his fellow workers despite frequent prompts for him to rest and recover from 'the incident', though many already knew that he and Axel had had an argument. It was a surprise for the member's of Axel's household for the young blond had established himself in their eyes as a little mouse when it came to confrontation. But then again, Kairi didn't have a single doubt in her mind that Roxas was more or less like a cat; docile and peaceful, but if pushed into a corner or in disagreement with something would hiss, spit and let its fur stand on end to make it bigger. She chuckled at the small image conjured in her mind.

"What's humouring you, lady?" Roxas asked. His hands were full with fresh new rushes to be placed down in the great hall, his sapphire eyes staring at the youngest of Aurelias' noble family much like the cat she had likened him to.

"Oh, it's nothing," Kairi dismissed, trying her best to hide her amusement. Serious matters called for serious faces after all. "I want to talk about Axel."

"I have other things to attend to," Roxas muttered flatly, making to escape but Kairi had been quicker.

"What exactly happened between you two? I never expected both of you to argue after your kidnapping."

"Nothing of your concern."

"When it concerns my brother, then I have every right to know about it."

Roxas kept his silence, trying to get past Kairi in the most respectful way possible but the crimson-haired girl refused to let him pass. He sighed in frustration, closing his eyes so that he didn't have to look at her. "He's just as bad as the rest of them. Always making out that my homeland is just some cesspit of corruption and immorality. I don't remember it like that. I don't. So I get so angry when people act like they know everything about it when they haven't even lived there."

"I guess that's understandable."

"You think like everyone else, don't you?"

With a bright beam, Kairi replied, "It's not my place to judge anyone or anyplace." Roxas looked at her with a startled expression, having not expected that. "Besides, who am I to say what's what when I've never experienced it myself? Why should I agree with everything the propagandists say when it's to their benefit or to the benefit of the king's empire? I understand that there were probably some very evil men working at Hollow Bastion's court and social circles, but I've got no doubt in my mind that there are other's with greedy or power-hungry intentions in Radiant Garden too." She grinned at Roxas. "Why else do you think Axel goes to great lengths protecting me and you?"

The young boy blinked. "…what?"

"It's true. The amount of suitors I get is almost as much as the king's I've heard, and it's most certainly not out of love. A lot of it is because that getting me married into their family gives them closer connections to the king and more power and wealth, so Axel's made it pretty clear that he isn't going to marry me off by sixteen. Thinks it's too young. And he's right, you know."

"It's normal for girls to be married by sixteen though," Roxas stated, having known many of the Hollow Bastion noble girls getting married to men by the age of fourteen at the earliest to men at least twice their age, or maybe even more.

"But they get the responsibility of taking care of a household and a family so young. And I know I'm not ready for that. There's so much more that I want to do." She then chuckled merrily, "Axel himself said that he wouldn't be surprised if I just upped and went elsewhere."

"But how does that have anything to do with me?" Roxas questioned, getting a little agitated by how Kairi seemed to be taking her time getting to the point.

"It's not marriage proposals, but I guess you're seen as a threat along with your brother," Kairi sighed. "So everyone's pretty much asking for your head on a silver platter."

"And Axel refuses to let that happen…"

"That's right. But that's caused a lot of gossip in court so he's effectively put his status in jeopardy."

"Oh…"

"That's all you've got to say?"

Roxas made a small sound, maybe out of amusement…but it could've also been of acceptance. "Maybe I am just a pain to have around."

"No!" She said that a bit too quickly she realised, but that was not what she wanted Roxas to think. "He really likes you!" At that, she clamped her mouth shut. Once again, in her excitement, she'd let on a little too much then she had intended. Roxas just blinked at her.

"…eh?"

* * *

Leon woke up slowly after a night of restless sleep, his eyes red and tired, shadows forming under his eyes. He sat up and stretched, slowly managing to recognise his surroundings. He then felt something very furry on his back, blinking lightly at the familiarity of it when he reached behind to touch it. What was his lion-skin doing here? He didn't remember wearing it yesterday. His mind then slowly observed that some of his papers, although undoubtedly had been rearranged in the king's sleep, were missing from his desk. He looked over, but could find none on the floor as he had expected. He looked at his desk again in puzzlement, his usually sharp mind refusing to work at its normal pace from stress and lack of sleep. Just who did have access to his study anyway? He thought about this slowly. There was Kiros…there was also Zexion and then there was Ward and his portable translator (as most of the castle liked to call Zell). Not to mention the few who were granted permission to clean the study if it needed it. And then there was also Zack who had taken to just waltzing around wherever he wanted to, whenever he felt like it, seeing as no one was going to stop him. With a loud yawn, he groggily stood up. He'd have to ask Zexion. If the small chief advisor was anything like he was now, Leon had little reason to believe the slate-haired man would not have taken advantage to do a little more planning or a little more prompting the soldiers where to search while the king slept.

Pulling the fur around his shoulders to keep off the chill in the study, he stepped out of the room and into the hallway, almost immediately being bowed to by passing servants who were as silent as the grave. Leon barely acknowledged them, for some reason the big stone halls just feeling…empty. As he slowly made his way down to find people, Leon slowly come to the conclusion of why the castle felt empty despite all the hustle and bustle that was going on. He was always expecting Sora to be coming around the corner with his excited babble, or come running up to him re-demanding a chance to get out of the borders for once. A pang of guilt pierced his chest. If only he hadn't been so stubborn and inflexible about Sora staying behind…

His fist clenched, wanting to hit something. Right now, those who had been captured only two nights ago seemed like the perfect candidates.

"My liege?" The king almost jumped in surprise at being called for, turning swiftly on his heels.

"Zexion."

"Good to see you up and around my liege," Zexion smiled lightly, looking thoroughly pleased. Leon's suspicions that it had indeed been Zexion sneaking around his study while he was unaware increased.

"It seems so silent," Leon observed.

"A good number of our men have taken to scouring the countryside. Of course, all the areas you had decided to be the best places to start were good starting points for us."

"How did you know of those places?" Leon questioned, narrowing his gaze that demanded answers. Zexion's light rare smile slightly deepened.

"You would never believe me, but it was Cloud who showed me what you had been up to all yesterday."

Leon blinked. Did he hear correctly? Was his sleep deprived head playing a trick on him to get its revenge? He blinked dumbly again. "Cloud?"

"Yes. It's quite surprising actually. This morning he just came in with a bundle of maps from your study and started telling us where you thought he was going, not to mention gave us a tip which I'm thoroughly glad I paid attention to."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Do you remember that night when the servant left us a little hint as to where young Roxas was?"

"How could I forget?" Leon mumbled, the night having left a vivid recollection imprinted into his mind, and that near maniacal look in Axel's eyes, and the look of fear in Roxas'. And blood. Lots of ruby blood soaked up into the loamy soil.

"He left us another one."

"What?"

"The horse he 'borrowed without permission' was found on the Trabian road."

"They're heading for Trabia," Leon muttered, always having had a gut feeling that that had been the case, and not some worst case scenario that he had prepared himself for. "Probably a bunch of cattle thieves trying their hand at kidnapping."

"They'd be very professional cattle thieves turned ransom seekers," Zexion pointed out. "I think they had this whole episode planned right down to the very last detail."

"We aren't going to argue about this. I just want Sora to be safe and sound."

"Understood, my liege," Zexion nodded bowing to him in respect and turning to leave. He then stopped and turned back. "My liege, in regards to the other happenings, the king of Midgard has to return back to his kingdom by tomorrow at the latest. He says that if he comes across the ruffians he'll punish them himself and then have the prince and his servant escorted back to Borealias. It's best to say your goodbyes while you have the chance, to show some common courtesy."

"You don't have to lecture me Zexion."

The advisor seemingly ignored this. "And then there is the small case that also by tomorrow you will need to decide whether to proceed with our journey to Dalmasca as planned or send a message to the ambassador there. Either way, you will be going to do something that you are not particularly fond of."

Leon paused, only realising the difficult choice that lay ahead at that small prompting from his chief advisor. He stiffened his back after a short moment of thought. "I'll give you my answer tomorrow. Just keep up the search for my brother." He headed over to the staircase that led to his chambers. Cloud would be there since the concubine was still mistrusted by the other servants save for a select few.

"Where are you going, my liege?"

"I have to thank my 'delightful' prize for his help," Leon muttered, his pride feeling severely wounded by receiving help from his own concubine.

* * *

Cloud's fingers idly stroked the white king of the chess set Tifa had brought up for him a little while ago. The raven-haired maid had grown rather fond of the blond surprisingly enough, understanding why Cloud had been so unyielding about his enslavement in the castle and why it had led him to do things the other servants though was unspeakable. She just couldn't see why everyone was so blind to the anguish Cloud himself had gone through that terrible night meant for celebration. He had almost -_almost_- lost his only surviving member of his family. As an orphan herself, having lost her parents to disease and tragedy, she could relate to Cloud in one way.

But neither of them really spoke of their personal losses in great detail as they played one quick game between each other, Tifa sweeping and tidying the room between turns. The scars were still too deep, and both of them knew that. Cloud almost was hesitant to admit it but…he was actually beginning to like the usually forceful head maid.

Tifa moved her bishop to capture his knight, looking precariously close to taking his king. "Check," she smirked lightly, wine-coloured eyes flashing with victory. Cloud sighed, using his king to knock over her bishop, watching with a hint of glee at the shocked look on her pretty features. "What?"

"You- You attacked me with your king!"

"Yes? Is that all?"

"No one uses their king!"

"On the contrary. It's a perfectly feasible move. You moved too close by taking the bait; I swooped in for the kill." His fingers started playing with the black wooden bishop piece in his hand, looking rather confident. He then frowned when he noticed something had gone awry with his game plan. Tifa read the expression, her eyes darting across the board until she found the offending item. Quicker than he expected, Tifa took his king out with a pawn. "I hoped you wouldn't notice that."

Tifa smiled, deep dimples burying into the corners of her lips. "Isn't it supposed to be chivalrous to let the lady win the games?"

"True. But it's more chivalrous to let the king live in a real life situation," Cloud countered. The maid raised her hands in defeat, no comeback coming to mind. Then her eyes' expression changed to one of surprise swiftly. She lowered her hands, stood and then curtseyed all of a sudden, which suggested to the blond that his 'lord and master' had finally emerged from the depths of his study. He kept his place, not turning to face him.

"You're dismissed," Leon's voice rumbled, his eyes watching the maid leave the room. Cloud still did not even stir from his spot, not even when the oaken door was shut heavily behind Tifa. "Cloud."

"If you've come to vent your frustrations onto me, go elsewhere," Cloud asserted firmly. The blond was in no mood to be giving out sexual favours or acting as target practice for Leon. "There's a perfectly good dummy in the training rooms that you can beat up."

"That's not what I'm here for."

"Oh." He stood up slowly, still not facing him, attempting to look busy by clearing up the chess pieces. "Well, if it's something of _that_ sort of nature, this really isn't the time for such a thing, right? I mean, your brother is still out there so shouldn't you be in the frontline trying to-" His breath hitched as arms wrapped around his waist and chest, arms that he had become familiar with. His body stiffened as he was pulled back, clutching the black king and white queen that were in his hands while he had attempted to tidy the chess game away. He chided himself internally when he felt his heart thump against his ribs, feeling so foolish for behaving like some infatuated damsel. "Let me go…"

"No," Leon whispered into his ear, his hold neither tightening nor loosening, comfortable for Cloud to breathe but impossible to escape from. The concubine had to fight down a shiver that threatened to surface. "You helped the search party…"

Cloud nodded his head. He had. He guessed maybe he was going to get punished for going through the king's papers, since he already expected it.

"Why?"

Cloud closed his eyes, not wanting to admit this part. "It's because…you saved my brother. I had to repay that debt. And I have. Knowing Riku, if he's found Sora he'll leave clues to where they are at any given chance."

"The horse he stole was found."

"I knew he would let it go. The horse was just a means of getting to Sora fast. Once he was done with it, he'd let it go to lead you on."

Leon's head nodded, his long hair brushing against the sensitive part of Cloud's neck, forcing the concubine to bite down on his lip to suppress a groan. Both of them had recently found out that the blond's neck was rather sensitive, so the king took advantage of it at any chance he had. He asked in a small voice, "Now that you have your answers…can you let me go?"

"I don't want to."

"Leon…" Cloud growled irritably. He let out an audible gasp when he felt Leon's lips brush against his neck. The brunet bit down lightly into the smooth pale skin, eliciting a shallow moan much to the blond's dismay, feeling his toes curl in his leather boots, the chess pieces dropping the floor with a wooden sound. The king smirked quietly into the skin, licking the bite gently before pulling away, very much assured that there was an enraged red on his concubine's cheeks.

"That's my thanks and your reward," the king smirked wickedly, giving Cloud a sound pat on his rump, gaining a shrill scandalised yelp. He backed away and turned to leave just as Cloud swiftly swivelled to nag about the indecency, leaving the blond flushed in the face and a pale mark on his neck.

Now alone, Cloud started scolding himself for letting himself get caught up in Leon's game. How could he have been so imprudent for letting himself get wound up like that? The blond took a deep shuddery breath to calm himself, turning around to face the bed so that he could hide his face -and neck- to avoid the scrutiny and gossip of the royal household. Just as he stepped towards the bed, he heard something crack under his feet. He looked down. The dark king and pale queen lay shattered on the floor where his foot had been, broken beyond repair. With a sigh, he picked the pieces up and placed them on the chess board, making note to ask Tifa if it were possible to have new pieces carved out. He made his way back to bed, hoping that maybe he might suffocate himself if he was lucky enough.

* * *

They had been travelling further north as the first colours of autumn started to form and the chilly north wind blew against the small harden group of captors, being led by the wild boy Ukir who still held some power over them as long as he was armed. Right now, one irritable Trabian was grumbling about having to give up his animal hide to the prince that was still tied up in the wagon, shivering from the cold.

The silver-haired boy knew that it wasn't Sora's fault. The prince had always been wrapped up in the warmest furs to keep out the chill as the months got colder, so for him to be only in a thin tunic and trousers and unable to warm himself up was quite unbearable for the young brunet. He felt an animal hide being draped across his shoulders, looking up at 'Ukir' with a demanding look, hoping that his _need_ to get out of this place and away from these people would come across. The boy shook his head, understanding but knowing that it was too early for his plan to come into fruition.

"Bear with me," he whispered, squeezing his shoulder lightly as if to comfort the young prince. "I can't rush our escape."

"I know. But I want to go home," Sora whined piteously, looking at him as if he were a kicked puppy.

"I know," Riku whispered, giving his shoulder another comforting squeeze. "Have patience."

Riku wasn't going to tell Sora that his plans were going too slowly. He wasn't going to tell him that the Trabians were moving faster than he had expected. And he certainly wasn't going to tell him that the escape could cost the prince his servant's life. Details like this would dampen the prince's mood. Riku didn't want that happen. And he didn't want to be scolded for 'throwing his life away'. Sora struck as the type who wouldn't want people to kill each other over him.

Besides, Riku wanted no melancholy thoughts in Sora's mind right now. As long as he was fighting, as long as there was hope, Riku was going to get Sora away from these people even if it killed him.


	27. Choices

**A/N:** I feel like I'm a terrible liar sometimes. When I say I want to talk to you guys and respond to your reviews, things get too hectic for me to even get around to doing it (and between a new job, a new goal to get my dog "weened" off my mom, secretarial training as well as writing this little darling, I don't get a lot of time at all). So, please just accept my undying gratitude and a limitless supply of web-cookies! -bows- I will try my hardest to get chapters out in return!

I've noticed that the small titbit of Cleon action was very well received, and that there's a demand for more. I can't promise anything but I can promise that the boys' relationship is going to get a lot better now since Sora and Roxas' kidnapping has acted as a catalyst for them to get their act together (though grudgingly).

There was also a request to get Tifa more involved, so I'm going to try and act upon it (because let's face it, a girl like her is one in a million and she's seriously overlooked a lot of the time by me (unintentionally of course!)). Also, I promise more characters will make their cameos. The beginning of two different threads of the story is coming up, which will mean more people and more research into different cultures (yay!)

Also! YAY! Everyone noticed the foreshadowing! Cookies to all! -passes them out- I'm not saying what it's foreshadowing though. I'll leave that to your imaginations -evil laugh- Speaking of literary techniques, either out of sheer boredom (or to help me out with HUS later on), I started writing an essay on symbolism in here which I may (or may not) post on the internet. I was thinking of getting a livejournal anyway to post original works so it'll most likely go there when its done. I'll keep you posted on when it comes out to those who are interested (if you are, put it in the review please, or send me a PM).

And last but not least, it's time to thank the reviewers for reviewing. So, to signed reviewers:  
_BlueFoxofWater1569, Izzy-Lawliet, Quietshade, Chazzy Chaz, KitaraStrife, ForeverFallen304, Jibril2, Chocola Emo Shizzle, Black Wolfess, ScarletDreams, Empress Satori, Ebil Chameleon, Kitsune Kit, Bronze Eagle, Aindel S. Druida, CruXsir-Cruxy-kun, Yoru no Kuronue, CloudedMirror, Shadow Cat17, Concise Complexity, Unknown Sobriquet, Sky Blue Baby,_ and _you.broke.a.promise!_

To anon reviewers, my thanks goes to:  
**jam **and **krad**

One last thing before I let you read: I'm thinking of changing my penname. It's a bit lame to be honest, and I like the one that I've got on smackjeeves more (Rosa Angelicus). Those in favour, please state aye in the poll I'll put up in my profile.

OK, now I'm done. Please read and review! For reviews are my pain au chocolats! (please send a note if I have used this already. I can't remember all the sayings I have said)

* * *

**Choices.** In every person's life, they will have to face choices. Sometimes it's the smallest and trivial of things such as what one will eat for that night's supper. Sometimes it's the difficult choices such as having to decide whether or not to tell someone the truth even though it may hurt another. And sometimes, a person will be unlucky enough to have to make a decision that could affect the rest of their lifetime.

For Leon, deciding on whether to stay and search for Sora but risk losing an important agreement that could benefit his people, or going to Dalmasca to safeguard his kingdom and the rest of his allies from a common enemy but the possibility of his younger brother never being found alive, was his choice. And it was one that was keeping him awake for most of the night. His hand was straying across the supple pale skin of his sleeping concubine's, pondering over the possible outcomes of whatever choice he made.

"What troubles you?" Cloud mumbled sleepily, the ghosting touch having disturbed him from his sleep for some time now.

"You're awake?"

"Kind of hard to sleep when someone's touching you," the concubine grumbled, turning onto his side and looking at him drowsily, blinking lightly as he got used to the evening light. "So what's keeping you awake then?"

The king looked away, not sure if he wanted to divulge such matters to a former enemy. This only made Cloud want to know more, leaning against him, skin against skin. Leon sighed, finding it hard to ignore the other warm body being so close to him. There had been days he swore the blond had cast some spell over him, but then there were others that he was sure that that wasn't the case at all. "Have you made your choice?"

"Excuse me?"

"About either coming with me to Dalmasca, or going with the household to Borealias."

"What awaits me in Borealias if I go there?"

"Hmm…comfortable living area, but you'll pretty much be confined there. It's too dangerous for you to go walking around without my presence being there."

"Then I really have no choice do I? I'm a prisoner in Borealias if I go there, but a prisoner if I go with you."

"Glad you think so highly of me."

"Sarcasm befits you," Cloud muttered, narrowing his eyes. "But my lodging is not what's on your mind."

"What makes you so sure of that?"

"Considering your brother is still not back in his bed safe and sound, I think I would be the last thing on your mind." The blond sighed, resting his head against a hand, as if trying to figure it out what was the matter. "It must be a very troubling matter if it's keeping you awake. I'm getting rather used to your snoring."

"I do not snore!" Leon growled indignantly, furrowing his brow.

"Fine. You snore, _some_ nights."

"You think that's going to make things better?"

"I'm not going to lie to you, even if the truth will hurt your pride," Cloud retorted. "Now, unless you tell me what's wrong, I won't be able to go to sleep."

"How's that?"

"You constantly touch me if you're worried about something."

"Ah."

Silence. Cloud turned away, assuming that Leon's pride was going to disallow him to speak. He was surprised when he did.

"Do I go to Dalmasca when it'll benefit the people I care for, or do I stay behind to help find my brother? Do I choose the path that my responsibilities as king point to, or should I take the path that my responsibilities as a brother are guiding me towards? Which do I do Cloud? Who do I risk losing?"

The blond was silent for a long while, understanding the turmoil Leon was being put through. As a king, the brunet couldn't ignore his duties towards his people, but he couldn't neglect those as a brother either. Cloud prayed that he would never be put into a position like that. After a pregnant pause, the concubine finally replied, "Go to Dalmasca. Your brother won't think any less of you if you put your people's happiness above your own."

"You sound so sure of it."

"I might not know your brother as well as others might, but I don't think you know your own brother as well as you like to think."

"And you think you know better?"

"I know Riku," Cloud responded, looking over his shoulder. "He won't leave Sora. Not for a second." Another weighty silence. "And besides, Zexion won't be able to travel to another kingdom in the state he's in. Plus he's already has the situation under control. Why worry about what happens here when not going to Dalmasca could cost you another war to prepare for?"

"You seem very keen for me to leave here."

"Don't mistake my intentions. I just don't want Hollow Bastion in the crossfire if you're going to upset the Archadians."

"Fine," Leon whispered. But there had been a small smile on the king's handsome features, hidden by the darkness of the night.

* * *

Roxas had been bothered by what Kairi had said ever since yester-morning in the hallways, making him unable to sleep during the night. Axel liked him? As what? He had to think hard.

As a squire? Roxas wasn't sure about it that though; he was still pretty useless when it came to fighting even though he was getting much better at close-range combat. But then again, he had began to like working with the others that were part of Axel's household, and even began to like living in the countryside like a normal person. And he definitely did enjoy Axel's guidance. When he isn't being so pig-headed, Roxas had thought.

As a friend? Again, Roxas did like to spend his time with Axel, but he had a feeling that they had little to nothing in common, if their little spat about the fate of Lilith and her group were anything to go by. Roxas furrowed his brow, remembering the awkward banter between him and Axel that morning. It had been about the group's hanging that would be happening in Aura's market square. Roxas refused to go, saying that he didn't want to see any killing, lawful or not. Axel had just let it go, but Roxas could tell Axel wasn't enthusiastic about having to go either. No man wanted to watch the people he thought he could trust die at the end of a coarse rope. Neither did any man want to read out the names of the people they were allowing to be executed. But still, Axel had asked him to come with him despite their argument…

Roxas thought it to be a vile thing to ask of someone, regardless if the person was going to be suffering a loss or not.

Roxas was rudely brought back to reality when he bumped into a warm body. "Ah! Sorry! I wasn't-"

"Its fine Roxas," Axel's voice cut across him calmly. The blond froze, unable to look up at Axel. He felt a hand rise up as if to touch the young squire…but it dropped soon after, fist clenched. "They're dead. All of them."

"I assumed so…"

Roxas could only imagine what the execution had been like. Probably humiliating for the prisoners, whether they deserved the punishment or not. But the jeering, the idea that the people saw it as entertainment for someone to end up getting hanged or getting his head chopped off, it sickened the young former prince to his stomach. And it almost made him choke to think that Axel had been among them, just standing by and letting them.

"Roxas…I-"

"There you are!" a shrill woman's voice erupted into the otherwise awkward scene. The volume of the sound forced the young blond to look up, seeing a blonde woman come up to them, two long antenna-like strands protruding from her widow's peak, luminous green eyes glittering dangerously, almost like a viper. She dressed in a simple yellow tunic dress with bell-shaped sleeves, her shoulders bare as if to sexually attract any man to come near, but it made her skin seem so pale, her bony figure so sharp, that she seemed more like a threatening creature that would eat a man alive if he came too near.

Roxas noticed that Axel seemed to tense at the appearance of the striking but deadly woman.

"Larxene," Axel said rather curtly.

"Is that any way to treat your ever loving fiancée?" Her voice was sickly sweet, her hand travelling up his arm slowly. It made Roxas' stomach feel queasy, an unsettling feeling troubling his body. There was something about the alluring motion that made Roxas want to push her off, but he composed himself quickly. Why would he be so annoyed? Because Axel never mentioned a fiancée? Yes, that was probably it. He was not annoyed that Axel seemed to be responding to her.

"We may be fiancés, but I am not really in the mood for your advances," Axel replied, his eyes narrowing as he felt her long sharp nails graze up to his neck.

"Why Axel, has this whole hanging business really put you into such a bad mood?"

"As a matter of fact, yes Larxene, yes it has. And I would appreciate it if you would take your business elsewhere."

The woman (or maybe siren was a better word for her since she seemed to be a beautiful monster) ignored him, continuing her advances. "What did I say though Axel? I told you keeping a Hollow Bastion royal was a bad idea. Haven't you already heard the gossip about your new pet?"

"I make it a habit _not_ to listen to the gossip mills. And I believe I can make my own decisions, my dear." Was that strain in Axel's voice at having to use a term of endearment?

"But we're-"

Axel's eyes shot her a cold glare, taking her arm away in one swift movement. "Let me make this clear to you, _love_. _**I**_ make my own decisions in what goes on in my private and public life. If _**you**_ can't understand that, then consider our marriage off."

Larxene gave him a terrible scowl, looking she could kill with just a look. "Fine. Don't come grovelling to me when it turns out your pet's out to kill you too!" She stomped off, sending servants flying out of her way in fear for their lives. It was a foolish move to make an enemy of the Lady Larxene whose family owned a quarter of the kingdom's capitol. Axel had been fortunate enough to be of a higher status, of greater influence and of complete sheer luck of being engaged to her that he got away with most of their quarrels with his reputation and body still intact.

Roxas could only watch Axel for a long moment, glad to see that Axel had been in the wrong kind of mood to put up with the woman's teasing. Roxas had a feeling he would find it more difficult if Axel would actually _respond_ to her enticing motions.

"You don't love her, do you?" he murmured quietly, mostly speaking to himself.

"I do not. I'd rather kiss an ass than marry her."

"Why did you accept her then?"

"I had no choice in the matter," Axel sighed. "It was decided when I was a child by my dearly departed parents."

"Then why not break it off? You're clearly going to be miserable." To Roxas, to see anyone other than that wench on Axel's arm was better, even though a small pang of hurt went through his very core.

"If I could, I would. But it's a tradition to not besmirch the name and honour of your parents here." Axel looked over to Roxas, his green eyes finally meeting the other's orbs of blue, keeping them there. "Am I right to assume Hollow Bastion has such a tradition too?"

Roxas just looked at him. Axel had been someone the young boy was never sure what he was thinking but this time…this time Axel was like an open book. His emerald eyes showed regret for what he had said, a wish to make amends, and a hope that maybe he could be forgiven. To such a look…Roxas found himself unable to say that he couldn't still forgive him for believing the assumptions and accusations that everyone in Radiant Garden believed.

"Yes…" he said quietly. "Fortunately, I've no commitments like that to keep to."

"That's good," Axel smiled lightly, reaching over and patting his squire's head, something that he had missed very much. "You're as good as free from that ball and chain."

The blond shook the hand off, not wanting to feel those feelings that he couldn't explain. "True…but it appears that I'm chained to you…and I'm not sure if I want to be…" He walked away wordlessly, expecting to hear abuse from his new master…but only silence greeted his words.

* * *

Zexion had been in better spirits, although still just as stressed out about having to find the heir to Radiant Garden's throne. More clues had been found, although they were very small and almost unnoticeable. A ring of prince's, two pieces of both of their tunics tied together, clearly disturbed bushes and rocks pointing in one direction, and then, the best clue they had found to date: a recently extinguished fire, still warm from burning. It was all good news, and even better news at hearing that the king of Midgard was delaying his return to his home by scouring the route between Trabia and Midgard just in case, and even preparing to lie in wait for the prince's captors as they got ever closer to Trabia.

What annoyed Zexion however was that Vexen had absolutely refused to let the chief advisor to actually leave the castle walls on a horse due to his still healing injury, meaning that he couldn't go to Dalmasca as hoped, while the chief medic was letting Axel walk around and even ride though his injury was far more serious than Zexion's! Vexen's reasoning: "There is absolutely no worth in telling that man to do anything. He'll do his own thing regardless." It seemed to Zexion that Vexen no longer cared if Axel would live or die, seeing as Axel seemed to have one medical marvel after another that it was considered ridiculous.

Another small thing that niggled Zexion…the addled-brained bard was still hanging around.

"Don't you have other places to see?" Zexion grumbled as he walked through the hallways towards the library.

"I do, but I decided they can wait," Demyx replied cheerfully, only two steps behind him.

"You continue to astound me…"

"Glad I do."

"Then astound me further by leaving me alone."

"Hmmm…no. Don't feel like it."

The petite advisor puffed his cheeks up, something he only ever did if he was getting extremely irritated. Like now. "I've no time for you."

"I know. But I feel like going with you."

A bit late for that, Zexion had thought bitterly. Demyx was like a cat; always coming and going whenever he pleased, barely having a thought for anyone else. Zexion knew there was no changing him…but still, he wanted at least a word of goodbye every time Demyx felt like he had to leave.

"So why are you going to the library?"

"Isn't it obvious? It's the quietest place to be to get plans together, not to mention it holds some valuable maps there of the Trabian border."

"Don't you think it would be better to go there yourself?"

"I've been discouraged from going _anywhere_ beyond the castle walls at this point on pain of getting my liver taken out if I damage it from riding."

"Must be annoying for you to be trapped here, when you can make better decisions up there."

"You sound like you want to get rid of me…"

"What?! No! That's not what I want at all!"

Zexion couldn't help but smirk, feeling a little victorious in having flustered Demyx…and also getting a straight answer from the bard about where they stood in this relationship of theirs, if he could even call it that.

"Then what is it that you want?"

"I want you…"

Zexion stopped in his tracks at those words, barely moving as he felt Demyx's arms wrap around his body, his torso brushing against the smaller man's back.

"But at the same time," Demyx murmured into his ear, "I don't want you to be cooped up."

"I'm not always cooped up."

"You are. You just don't see it." A soft kiss on the nape of his neck. "You're trapped by your own status…by your own sense of duty…" Another kiss. "And by your own feelings of indebt to the king."

Zexion kept his mouth clenched as he cringed under those feather-light touches from the bard's lips, his skin betraying him by breaking out into a symphony of rosy reds and pinks. "I am indebted to him. He took me in when I had nothing but the clothes on my back."

It was a truth. Zexion was an orphan; no recollection of a home, no memories of a family, just barely surviving by working or begging if there was a chance to. It was his own self-taught knowledge of nature's abundances that had earned him a chance to get pulled out of the slums, his own desire to learn about everything this world had to offer to catch the eyes of clerks and advisors in the boy king's court. Most of all…the king had proved to be a good friend when the advisor needed one the most. For that, Zexion would never leave. What he did for Leon was just a small stone compared to the mountain of gratitude he felt towards him.

"You're starting to make me feel jealous again Zexion," Demyx grumbled, sighing lightly.

"Demyx, we're in a public place. Anyone could see us."

"Don't care. I'd rather let them know that you're off limits."

"Is it just me, or do you sound possessive?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Demyx…"

"…how do I know that you really did make your choice all those years ago?"

Zexion was silent for a long while, remembering that day three summers ago. Demyx was just a fledgling of a bard, and he was the blossoming advisor at just a tender age of seventeen. The day had been unnaturally hot for a usually mild to cold climate. The Lavender Pinocchio and Blush Damask roses had been in full bloom. The awkwardness, the feeling of being so vulnerable, the fact Demyx had allowed himself to be open to the other, letting him decide whether he was to be rejected or accepted…such things Zexion could not forget.

"I'm not the one going off on one of his hare-brained adventures."

"True, but I'm not the one who held feelings for a man he's serving for."

"That's done with."

"Is it?"

"It is."

"You certainly don't act it."

Zexion pushed away. "Fool. Just leave me alone if you don't believe me."

In his mind, Zexion hoped that the message would make Demyx steer clear of him for now. In his heart, he hoped the other would follow regardless.

* * *

He knew that his power over them was waning, just like the moon was that night. It only made Riku all that more worried and maybe slightly more cold to everyone, knowing that 'Ukir's' demise was imminent. Watching over the sleeping prince that night -after somehow convincing the other to do just that- Riku planned very carefully their course of action the next night.

They were getting ever closer to the Trabian border, and once they were over, 'Ukir' was as good as dead. Tomorrow night was their final chance of escape. If they didn't take that now, there would be not much hope for either of them.

"Ri- Ukir…"

"My prince?" Riku grumbled haughtily, trying to keep up appearances, though he could tell it was upsetting the younger boy a great deal that he was not acting like he was used to. It was safe to say that Riku was not exactly happy at having to treat Sora as if he were dirt either.

"Will I…ever get out…?"

Riku didn't respond verbally. He just nodded his head, his hand slowly reaching over and touching his young charge's hand lightly, reassuringly. His eyes were full of compassion for the young boy who wanted to see the world, just not in this way. They would escape. Riku would see to it. He vowed it to himself.

He was not going to fail another master because of his own hesitance to act when it was called for.


	28. Tension

**A/N:** It's been a while guys. Let's just say when life catches up with you, it grabs you in a chokehold and doesn't let go. So anyways, I just wanna thank everyone for reading so far and for also helping HUS reach to its **_650th_** review! Only 350 more until 1000! I would also report the hit count so far but...well, decided to get rid of the overall hit-count so I've no idea how many I got now (boo, don't agree with this). I think, last time, we had hit 66,035 so keep it up guys! Keep on reading! -thumbs up- Here's hoping we got more great results like this (and more reviews from readers! (especially the ones that read-sans-review!)) What else is new? Oh yeah! The poll results!

We had minimal input, but by a landslide, the results were:  
Aye!! - 71 percent  
Nay!! - 28 percent

So, as of today, I am no longer AngelLadyG, but Rosa Angelicus. Please don't be confused by the change if you get an author alert from this name! It is still meeee!

OK, so thanks again to everyone reading and reviewing, and keep on reviewing! For they are my Betty Crocker Brownies!

* * *

**Tension.** It was high on a day like this. The sun was high, the Trabian men were looking at Ukir with dark glares and the silver-haired boy was getting antsy, giving warning glances if they even dared to question what he was doing.

If they did, Ukir would answer: "You don't want the brat to make a fuss if we go over the borders where there are guards right? This is going to knock him out when we cross."

After that, the Trabians grudgingly accepted the explanation, going about their own business while the wild boy went about his herb collecting. Who were they to say that he wasn't going to do them a big favour? Especially since he seemed totally unaware of his own demise that would happen tonight.

Sora could only watch Riku as he began to crush the herbs he had found together into a powdery substance, his hands and legs still bound together. He had gotten used to the rope burn he had been feeling for the past couple of days, although he was certain they had turned deep red. The young prince tried to snuggle into the furs that Riku had managed to liberate a little deeper. It had been getting colder, suggesting they weren't too far away from Trabia now, since the icy country felt the chill of autumn and winter far faster than the other kingdoms.

"You cold?"

"A little."

Riku stood up and walked over, pulling the furs around the prince a bit more tightly, securing them with a brooch that had been lying on the ground next to the boy. "There. That should keep you warm for now."

"…Ukir…"

"Yes?"

"What will become of me?"

Riku was silent, knowing that he couldn't let on what was really going to happen. He shook his head. "It's not my place to say right now. Just sit tight and be good for us." He stood again, going back to his herbs. "We'll be reaching the border by tonight…if we get over the border, there's not much chance of a rescue."

And also not much chance of Riku still being alive, but the servant wasn't going to let Sora know that. It was now or never. Riku had to act…or perish.

* * *

Ukir had very stealthily put the powders into the hotpot for dinner that night, claiming it to be seasoning to make it taste better –which was partly true as the young boy did pick up some nettles and coriander which added flavour to foodstuff. Stirring it slowly, he allowed the other Trabian put on cooking duty that night to add wild venison strips into the pot, letting it cook in the simmering stew. The silver-haired boy made a note that this was adding insult to injury against the king; it was illegal to hunt royal deer without his highness' permission. Especially since they were near a hunting ground that belonged to him.

"Smells good," the Trabian in front of him stated.

"Mm."

"Ye oft get meals like this?"

"If I'm lucky."

"Wot aboot yer family?"

"Dead."

"Ah."

"Not that big a deal. I don't care for them." And that was completely true on Riku's part. He didn't care for Sephiroth or the triplets any more. He certainly didn't care about his parents. They were obsolete…meaningless. Nothing to him. And he was sure that the feeling was mutual on the other side. He frowned lightly. It still bothered him to no ends that Yazoo had turned up suddenly in Aurea Castle one night. And he had plotted to use Cloud as a means of killing off the Jenova's enemy and get rid of the remaining Strife family members in the process. Who was to say that Yazoo wasn't capable of getting rid of Sora and his traitor brother too? It worried him greatly, and it made him far more vigilant in his bid to protect his new master.

"Kinda 'eartless of ye."

Riku shrugged. "I don't think they cared much for me either. So it's fine."

The Trabian looked quite astonished. "Mah…Ah dunno wot Ah'd do if Ah couldn't wake up ta a big auld bowl of Ma's porridge back 'ome."

Riku smiled lightly. These people…they weren't really bad. Just…misguided. Give it a couple of more years and they could probably see the benefits of having far better trading connections with the rest of the world. "I envy you."

"Whazat?"

"I wish I had that kind of experience with my own family."

"Hmm…maybe Ah could lead ye ta mah 'ome and see if Ma'll cook some oop fer us."

"I'll look forward to it, mate."

"So ye should."

Riku felt a bit guilty for betraying them. Almost. But they were doing something illegal, and a possible hanging offence. Riku didn't fancy being on the end of a rope for something he didn't do.

And besides, he had a feeling that the Trabian across from him was making an empty promise, just to be kind.

* * *

Night fell upon them with a thick blanket of dark clouds, covering the earth from the chill of the moon's white light. For Riku, the conditions couldn't have been more perfect. His steps were light and careful as he crept over to where the prince was resting, taking the short sword he had perused that first night he came to this group out from his belt. Sora's eyes opened, flinching at the sight of it. Riku shook his head, bringing Sora's bonded wrists up and cutting the ropes as quickly as he could, seeing the once soft smooth skin now crowned with a ring of raw red. Sora bit down on his lip to suppress a pained cry at the stinging relief from the rope while Riku cut the ropes around his ankles. Wordlessly, Riku helped his master up to his feet, wishing he had made some sort of ointment to soothe those red wrists.

"We're leaving?"

A small affirmative nod from the servant. Sora's eyes instantly brightened, looking like he was ready to run but Riku kept him back with a strong hand. "It's cold."

"So?"

"I'm not letting you catch a fever on top of everything else." Riku quickly wrapped one of the furs that he had collected for the young prince around his shoulders, making sure it was on securely with a small Trabian brooch. "Right. Let's go."

Silently and carefully, Riku slipped out of the wagon, helping his young charge down. Making sure that Sora would follow his lead, they tiptoed carefully past the Trabians to the outskirts of camp. Things seemed to be going smoothly…that was until Riku realised that the Trabians were missing one of their company. His eyes blinked…and he cursed to himself. He pulled Sora along by the wrist faster, earning a surprised sound from the young prince. Just a few more paces and then they could-

"Hoi! You!"

Riku cursed and broke into a run, dragging Sora along with him. "Run for it!" He pushed the young boy in front of him, making sure that he was covered at all times from enemy fire. He knew the Trabians had slings, bows and arrows as well as short swords and throwing knives at their disposal. All of them were deadly with the right amount of force put behind them.

Death was not in Riku's plan of action. He didn't plan on letting it happen if he could help it.

They ran through the muddy grass made wet by night dew, adrenaline pumping in their blood as their heart beats and heavy breaths echoed in their ears, looking forward and not looking back even for a moment. Though at the worst possible moment, Sora tripped on an overgrown tuft of marshy grass, letting out a surprised 'oof!' Riku skidded to a halt, helping the young boy up.

"Come on, keep going!"

"Riku, just get out of here! I'm nothing to them dead, so I'll be alright!"

"I'm not leaving without you!" He pulled him up and pushed him forward. "Just go!"

A sharp gasp escaped from the silver-haired youth, feeling something thin strike his shoulder, followed by something warm pool around the sharp sting. He had been hit. By an arrow no less. But he ignored it as best as he could, keeping his young master covered from the rocks and arrows that clipped their heels.

Once again, Sora seemed to fall but he pulled Riku down with him, hiding under a large loamy log that had been caught by the boggy ground in some bygone day when the earth had been younger. They stayed as quiet as possible as the Trabians above them yelled and screeched in their anger for losing their quarry, their breaths heavy as they tried to calm themselves down. It was then the sting of Riku's injury multiplied tenfold, making the boy clutch his wounded shoulder.

"Riku!" Sora gasped. "You're hurt!"

"Tis nothing," Riku dismissed despite his very apparent pain. "Worry for yourself, not for mine."

"But Riku…you're losing a lot of blood."

"I can survive this. I've been tortured and I've been in a battlefield. This is just a scratch."

"I you call having a great big arrow sticking out of your shoulder a scratch, I fear to see what you consider a life threatening injury would be!"

"Keep your voice down," Riku hissed. "They'll hear us."

"But-" Sora's mouth was clamped shut by a hand, a look of concentration crossing the silver-haired youth's features. Silence; they seemed to have outsmarted their chasers but the youth was not completely certain on that.

"Stay as quiet and as still as you can, my prince," Riku whispered. "I'll deal with this wound myself."

"Riku…"

"I'm fine. Just keep yourself safe." He pulled the arrow, gasping quietly but keeping his real pain hidden from view. Sora didn't need to know. He just had to get him to people they could trust, even if he was hurting.

"…but I want to help you."

Riku looked over to him, almost with a gaze that even questioned if the younger boy could do anything to help. But he nodded his head. "Alright." He tore at his own tunic, handing the scrap material to the young prince. "Can you dress a wound?"

"I'll try my best."

"Alright. I trust you."

Sora smiled weakly, pulling Riku's tunic off so that he could dress the wound properly, almost gasping as he saw that the arrow had pierced the mark of his family burnt onto the servant's flesh. Shaking the image out of his head, he began to wrap the material around his underarm and shoulder as best as he could, hoping that he wasn't hurting the older boy.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered.

"For what?"

"For all the pain you're being put through…or had been put through…because of me and my brother."

"Its fine," Riku responded quietly. He took Sora's hand gently over his injured shoulder. "You could say I was almost an outcast of my own home anyway. So for me to be accepted here…its fine. If I can protect you now, then at least others can say I kept to my duty to your family. And for me, that's enough."

Sora looked down, letting his forehead rest against Riku's back, holding his hand tightly. "Fool. You're such a big fool."

"I know…I know."

* * *

The silence was heavy in the room, Roxas noted as he bustled about tidying after Axel. Which to be honest was a bit of a desperate hope considering Axel was barely making a mess here, unless you called leaving out his cleaning equipment for his charkrams a mess. But then again, this was welcomed by the young squire. The two of them were still in a phase of awkwardness, always greeting each other with silences and neither one willing to break them.

Axel was seated on a chair near to the window, looking out of it as he sipped on some wine from the breweries of Midgar, a present from the Midgarian king. The night was clouded, the moon only showing through holes in the heavenly blanket. He put his goblet down slowly at long last. "Roxas, how much longer is this going to continue?"

Roxas was silent for a long while, pausing in his duties…but then continued to do them. "I'm not sure what you mean, sir."

"That," Axel sighed, "and these bouts of just not speaking to each other."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"There is!" Axel's fist slammed against the window pane as he stood up, making the boy jump in surprise. His emerald eyes looked incensed, tired of this charade, wanting to end this whole tension. "I said something that clearly hurt you and you're not even giving me the chance to be forgiven!"

Roxas didn't say a word, knowing better than to raise his voice against the other. He didn't have anything to say to him. Besides, he had thought, they were supposed to be enemies; they couldn't have this kind of relationship in reality. They were meant to hate each other, just like Cloud hated the king and vice versa. Wasn't this meant to be?

However, silence just aggravated the flame-haired man even further. He took long strides towards the young boy, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him to his form, looking down at him with a mixture of hurt, anger and dismay with those orbs of green. Roxas stared up at him, wondering what was going to happen, but at the same time determined not to be the one who dropped his guard.

"Are you that determined to hate me now?" Axel asked softly, tightening his grip slightly.

"Let go of my wrist," Roxas insisted calmly.

"No."

"No?"

"Not until you've forgiven me."

"Fine. I forgive you. Now let me go."

"No."

"Axel…" Roxas could feel his patience tiring, on the verge of snapping, but not wanting to aggravate him further.

"Stop trying to please me by keeping quiet."

He looked up at him, blinking, trying to understand what the older man meant. He struggled against Axel's hold, gasping in pain as Axel's grip tightened even more around his slim wrist.

"Let go Axel! You're hurting me!" Immediately after Roxas cried this, Axel released his wrist, pulling him into a tight embrace instead. "Axel! What are you doing?! I told you to let me go!"

"I already told you I'm not letting go," Axel whispered, making the boy go silent and still. "So just give up already."

Roxas pulled away as best as he could, somehow managing to find the strength within him to push the other away. "Stop it. Just stop it."

"Roxas-"

"Don't start holding me as if we're…we're…"

"Roxas?"

"Just stop it! You have Larxene already! And you acting like this with me is just making you look like a sodomite and- and-!"

"Roxas!" Axel grabbed the boy by the back of his head, forcing their eyes to meet in a simple glance. "Is this what its all about? You're jealous? Or are you worried about me?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Roxas grumbled, trying to look away but unable to escape those emerald eyes that seem to enrapture him. What stopped him though was that a small smile was beginning to uncurl from Axel's serious expression.

"Caught you," he grinned, like he had done all those months ago when they first truly met, when Axel was the hunter and Roxas the prey.

"What?"

"If you're worried about my reputation, don't be." He let go of the boy, patting his shoulder lightly. "It wouldn't be a surprise if all of a sudden I turned to sodomy. I think the surprise would be more of _who_ I was committing such an act with."

Roxas pulled away again. "Don't say that."

"What do you want me to say then?"

"Nothing," Roxas said, finally able to get away from Axel. "Nothing at all."

Once again, he had left the man with a silence that had become common between them. He didn't want to see those eyes again. He knew he would lose to them if he stayed a moment longer looking into those eyes that hid so much behind them…and yet at the same time the young boy was now starting to be able to read them. And he wasn't sure if he wanted to see into Axel's mind.

* * *

"So you're leaving for Dalmasca then," Zexion stated, watching a flurry of papers being sorted for last minute preparations.

"As much as it pains me to say it, I can not delay this while Sora's still missing," the king grumbled, putting them down after a few more moments of shuffling them into place. A nervous habit of his, the advisor had noted. "So…I'm leaving it all to you Zexion. Don't fail me."

"If I fail, you can do what you wish with me," Zexion nodded, accepting his new task at hand. "The signs seem to be very good from what I have heard from our trackers. They seem to have slowed down for some reason."

"So…?"

"I think we can get the prince and his servant back before their captors take them over the border."

Leon nodded, but he still seemed anxious, drumming his fingers against the polished wooden desk. Zexion leaned over, talking in a soothing voice. "Try not to think of it. These peace talks are also a very serious matter. The Archadians won't dare attack Dalmasca if their rival for land and power is among them. And it will buy us some peace time. Besides, one step towards peace with the Archadian Empire is a step closer to having an alliance with Emperor Gramis."

"But for how long Zexion?" Leon looked at him with a pessimistic glance. "The Emperor is no longer the spring chicken he once was, just like the king of Hollow Bastion."

"But the Emperor is no fool either."

"True. But what will happen if he dies suddenly?"

"The Senate will decide on their next leader, like they always have."

"And who will they choose? Will they choose a man that has executed his own brothers with no remorse? Or will they choose to have a boy king they can control? Either way, it could spell trouble for us."

"Then its best that we do all that we can to avoid an all out war. Our experience and bravery is good but against the might of the Archadian Empire, we stand little chance. Even you know that Hollow Bastion, although a bountiful prize, was only a small state compared to us." He then bowed to the king. "I shall make the arrangements."

"Cloud is coming with me."

"My liege?" Zexion asked credulously, his eyes wide with surprise. "You believe that is a wise proposal?"

"I'd rather have my eyes on him, than leave him in a place where he could plot my demise if he so wished."

"You still mistrust him?"

"Not exactly. I just don't want to subject him to the temptation."

Zexion nodded his head, and bowed again. "Then I shall make preparations for him to go as well. I suspect Axel will go to."

"Knowing him, he'll want to face Captain Azelas again after that duel they had a couple of years ago."

Zexion chuckled, having known the flame-haired man's attitude towards one of the most prominent of Dalmasca's Knights of the Order. "Typical Axel."

"Don't let him hear you say that," Leon smirked. "He'd hate to have anyone think that he was predictable."

"It will be locked up in my mind," Zexion replied, bowing once more and turning to leave. "My liege."

As he walked along the corridor, his mind was cast back to his new task of finding the young prince and his servant, if he was on their side at all. True that out of all the Hollow Bastion captives that had been part of the royal circle, Riku was indeed the far more trustworthy of them having never caused any strife or commotion for the young prince, or for anyone else. But again, that quietness could be mistaken for meekness and become something far more monstrous. Such horrors Zexion wished to avoid at all costs.

He also feared another encounter with the Jenova family. It was only speculation, but Zexion had a hunch that the Jenova family could possibly be behind the kidnapping of the young prince, but at the same time he was almost certain that at least a member of the family would be present in Dalmasca as the Archadians would be involved. The rumours of the once most powerful family in Hollow Bastion escaping to Radiant Garden's rival and enemy still echoed strong in the corridors of his memory.

He just vehemently hoped that his fears were unfounded. He didn't like the thought of not being able to help the king in Dalmasca, or not being able to find young Sora either. All in all, Zexion did not like being unable to control the situation.

And this was one such a case that he wish he isn't in.


	29. Relief

**A/N:** As this title chapter suggests, you will finally get some relief from all the drama! (some, but not all XD) I don't really have much to say, other than I hope I can pump out the Dalmasca chapters as quickly as possible (as I want to get the next event of the story around about the same time as the Christmas period, for the sake of creating the scene), and that the attention will turn back mostly to the **HBB** (**H**ollow **B**astion **B**rothers aka Cloud and Roxas) and their respective suitors. I can also say this chapter was long. Longer that anticipated. But hopefully it won't be too detailed laden that it bursts a couple of brains -insert laugh- And so, my thanks to these guys for reviewing:

_, -siarafaerie-101-miss, FreeFallingForward, EriNicoleAndUKnowIt, ., forgotten unmei, ForeverFallen304, CruXsir-Cruxy-kun, Empress Satori, Shadow Cat17, Black Wolfess, Kiki Lelsissia, Sky Blue Baby, eff-eff-fanatic, Concise Complexity, Cry4theDevil, , Ebil Chameleon, Yoru no Kuronue, Aindel S. Druida, Izzy-Lawliet, _and_ Namesake._

You guys rock! So now sit back, relax and read this next update. And review! For they are my KitKats!

* * *

**Relief**; it soon came to the silver-haired youth as darkness gave way to dawn. They had risked moving further west in hopes of finding shelter and aid from a nearby village but Riku's wound had slowed them down considerably. The Trabians may have been amateurs in dealing with blackmailing boys, but they were no fools when it came to weapons and where to hit their targets. The arrow wound had been deep; he didn't doubt that there was possibly still some arrow left in his shoulder causing him deep discomfort. He had hoped Sora would run ahead, find help or maybe, if it was too late to save the servant, find a way back to his home. But no. The prince's kindness and concern far outweighed any selfish bone he may have possessed.

So now they sat under a small cavern made by a rocky outcrop layered thick with soft green moss, hidden by rough shrubbery that were native to this part of the moorland kingdom. Sora found himself redressing Riku's wound with materials tied together from both of their tunics, hoping that the softer material of his own would make it slightly more comfortable for the wounded servant.

"I still think you should go on without me," Riku muttered.

"Now you hush up," Sora scolded. "You're the one who went charging to my rescue without telling anyone else."

"So it's my fault that I got hurt?"

"We're both at fault. I should've been a bit more guarded back at the party, while you should've at least convinced someone to come with you just in case."

"My plan worked better with just me though."

"This is why I worry about you," Sora sighed, tightening the knot that held the servant's binding together. "You just take things on your own and never ask for help when it could benefit you."

"…I could've stopped them earlier," Riku whispered. "I saw them leave with you. I tried to fight them, but they overpowered me. I called for help, but we were too late. So the fault is mine. I had to right that."

"…you're too much sometimes Riku."

"I apologise, my prince."

"…you don't have to call me that."

"I don't think this is really the time to discuss what I call you."

"You're right." Sora leaned against him, looking out to the misting autumnal moors, shivering lightly. "We'll get home though. I know we will. And Vexen will take good care of you. I'll make sure of it."

"You're too kind, my prince."

"Well, it's what any person would do right?"

"Not many," Riku murmured, closing his eyes as he huddled into a tight ball. "Not many at all."

Silence reigned between the two boys, just watching night turn into day, the earth becoming warmer under their feet and hands. Sora once again spoke to break the silence despite the ease of it. "Do you think my brother sent troops to look for us?"

"I wouldn't doubt it. You are one of the only remaining members of your family with him."

"It's just that…I fought with him about Dalmasca, just moments before I was kidnapped." He brought his knees to his chest, wrapping his thin arms around them in a bid to keep warm. "I wanted to go so badly, but Leon wouldn't let me. Since I'm so…"

"He doesn't want anything to happen to you. And he's probably right in saying that you had to stay here in Radiant Garden. Dalmasca is a desert kingdom. The heat would be unbearable."

"Just because I get sick so easily doesn't mean…I shouldn't be allowed to see other places."

"I know. But he doesn't want to risk losing you." Riku sighed, pulling his tunic back over his pale body, his eyes watching the sun rise over the horizon. "You should be happy…having a brother who clearly cares for you."

"Then why is it that we never seem to be able to talk to each other any more without arguing? Why do I feel like the distance between us has just gotten further as we grew up?"

"Your brother was only six when he became king. He's had a completely different upbringing compared to yours. He wouldn't have had time to be a child, like you have."

Sora looked at him, blinking a little, while he listened to Riku talking. "He's always had to put others' needs in front of his own for his whole life. I'm sure if he had a chance to be selfish, he'd come running to your rescue. As it is, I'm sure he has to go to Dalmasca, because if he doesn't, his allies there may have trouble later on. This peace treaty isn't just about having Dalmasca and Archadia at peace with each other. It's also about keeping the peace between Radiant Garden and Archadia too. I'm sure the king, for all his experience in battle, would rather avoid more bloodshed if he could help it."

"That is true…"

"And all those lessons you've been sitting through, the king would have had them arranged. You're his heir while he's still unmarried, so he wants you to be able to rule fairly if Hyne takes him away beyond his own time, and not be controlled by others. I think…it upsets him when you don't take them seriously."

"I…never thought of it that way…" He looked down into his lap, a pang of guilt crossing the young boy's face. "Have I really been that selfish? That childish? That ungrateful?"

"I wouldn't say that…"

"Just say it Riku. I know you're thinking otherwise."

"It's not my place to say."

"I hereby decree that it is."

Riku blinked, never really having heard the young prince say such language in such a serious tone. And for a moment, Riku thought he had seen an inkling of a good king in the making within the young boy, should the current king meet an untimely demise. With a small smile, he murmured, "I apologise, and I hope this will not come back to haunt me, but yes; yes you have been all that."

"And because of me, you've been hurt."

"This is nothing, my prince. I've suffered worse."

"That doesn't change the fact that I caused it." He looked up at the sky, the glowing orb of light rising ever higher on a canvas of morning grey-blue sky. Much like his brother's eyes, when they were kinder. "When we get home…I want to become stronger. I want to be able to protect you and everyone else."

"You will get stronger."

"I won't if I keep getting coddled like I'm something made of glass. I have to learn. I have to do something otherwise I'll never be as strong as Leon." He paused, whispering quietly, "I want to be like Leon. I want to be as strong as him, as dependable as him, as great as him…maybe even greater!" He nodded his head, determined. "I'm going to be even greater than Leon. Just you wait and see."

"I shall look forward to it," Riku chuckled, looking rather amused.

"You don't believe me do you?!"

"I have complete faith in you."

"You don't believe in me at all! What kind of servant doesn't believe his master?!"

Riku could only laugh at the prince's outrage, somehow finding it difficult to imagine the young prince becoming stronger and better than his brother, but neither did he think that the prince wasn't determined enough to do the task. Deep down, he hoped Sora would achieve his goal. Somehow, someway.

* * *

It had been a while since they had been sent off from the encampment between the Midgarian and Trabian borders in order to track down Radiant Garden's prince and his servant. Last night, the prince's captors had ran straight into a trap they had laid out for game, making a great hullabaloo of how they were going to "skin alive that filthy lyin' git" when they caught up with their quarry and his guardian. As it was, the mountain king had found the whole scenario amusing. In his own words, "we set a trap out for dinner, and get Radiant Garden's most wanted men instead." However, there was little to laugh about as the Midgarian soldiers began their interrogation of the Trabians, resorting to desperate measures when they would not answer.

Midgar's methods of torture were the stuff of legend. Crushing a man with boulders, making a man walking up and down a mountain path barefooted with a boulder chained to him by the neck in the bitter cold and, most infamous (and for those who had a sense of humour) of all…locking a man in a pair of stocks by his feet, covering the feet with salt and hay and all other manner of things and letting loose a mountain goat to lick them, effectively tickling the victim. Although as ridiculous as it seemed, it gave them answers. And it was clearly a little more humane than their other torture methods, save for when the victim choked to death on their own spit from laughing so hard and long.

But now, with the knowledge that a boy called "Ukir" and the prince had outsmarted the brutes, search parties had been sent out to find them. The large man among the search party made of two grumbled under his breath, pulling his cloak around him tighter. "This is becoming ridiculous. We have seen neither hide nor hair of a clue where those two have gone."

"But we can't stop now Biggs," the smaller scolded him. "If we find the prince, we may be rewarded for it."

Biggs grunted, clearly unhappy that they still had to track him down. "Why can't we just let-"

"Hold that thought," the smaller dismissed, bending down immediately when he noticed something on the ground. He picked it up carefully, looking at it in the light.

"Wedge?"

"It's a ring."

"This is no time to be-"

"It has the House Leonhart emblem on it."

Biggs immediately went to his knees to look at it, his eyes reflecting the silvery sheen of the small lion head shaped onto a circle of silver that the members of the Leonhart family all owned.

"It must have dropped from the prince's fingers when they were running," Wedge concluded. His keen eyes looked around the marshy ground, looking for more clues as to where they had gone. "Aha! Footprints!"

"Then they'll lead us right to them," Biggs grinned, now enthusiastic about this search.

"This way. They seem to be heading towards Borealias."

* * *

"I'm hungry," the prince grumbled at long last to break the silence between them.

"I'll go find food then, like I offered a moment ago," Riku sighed in exasperation.

"I already made it clear you'll do no such thing in your condition."

"It's not like I'm going to die from blood loss if I go out there."

"What if they're still looking for us though? You aren't exactly a common sight with your hair."

Riku couldn't fight that logic, so he just leant back, kicking the dirt lightly with a leather booted foot. His little lord as such had taken it upon himself to protect his wounded servant. And while Riku was flattered, he wasn't keen on playing the role of the damsel in distress. As far as he was concerned, he was the one that all hastened to the 'fair lady's' rescue.

"We can eat mushrooms, right?" Sora asked quietly.

"Certain types, yes."

"And berries?"

"Again, certain types."

"I'll go find some then."

"Name me three types of mushrooms that are edible, not poisonous."

The prince opened his mouth to speak, but then promptly closed it again, his pink lips curling up into an annoyed pout. The servant shook his head, sighing a little as he pressed a palm to his forehead. "Since you're so eager, find whatever you can find and bring them here. I'll tell you if we can eat them or not."

The prince immediately brightened up at the prospect of being able to help, crawling out of the small hole in the ground.

"Remember, keep low. You won't get killed by our chasers but it wouldn't be advisable to cross paths with them again."

"Don't worry Riku," the prince beamed. "I'll be back safe and sound before you know it."

It wasn't that he didn't trust Sora. Riku just felt like Sora was going to take this whole protector role too seriously. One only had to see the state he himself was in to see where taking such a role so seriously had landed him.

* * *

"How long have we been following these things now?" Biggs grumbled, once again unhappy at having to walk even more and with little result.

"A little bit under an hour now," Wedge replied, intently tracking the footprints left by their quarries.

"Why couldn't they just stay still?"

"Do mountain deer or hares stay still when chased?"

Biggs grumbled his answer, not liking to be undermined by the shorter man. Wedge all of a sudden stopped, kneeling down on the ground and touching the footprints that seemed to be loosing their structure in the drying ground.

"We'll have to hurry," he muttered. "Otherwise, we've lost them for good."

Biggs had carried on a bit, looking out to the horizon. "You don't think some predator got them?"

"Like what?"

"Wolves or something like that. I hear that you get a few of them out here."

"I highly doubt wolves would be out here, even if one of the boys were injured and smelt like dinner to them."

"I'm just saying that there's the possibility."

Wedge just rolled his eyes, continuing his progress. Time passed slowly for them both until the tracker came to a halt, a look of puzzlement crossing his features. Biggs frowned, tapping his foot impatiently. "Now what?"

"They've stopped."

"Oh?"

"Either the tracks have dried out faster than I thought…or they're around here somewhere."

Biggs surveyed the scene from where he was standing, seeing nothing. No immediately obvious signs of life. Nothing at all. "I think you've lost your touch Wedge."

"Take that back," Wedge snapped, looking irritable at the prospect that he could be wrong.

"Take a look around," Biggs frowned, taking steps backwards, "There's nothing for mi-_les_!" Wedge lunged forward and grabbed the bigger man's arm, pulling him upright as he looked to fall flat on his back. Wedge looked around him, blinking a bit.

"A blind spot?"

"What in the name of Hyne?!"

"I think you've solved our problem Biggs. C'mon. They could be down there."

* * *

Sora had been making his way back from his food gathering when he saw what he assumed the worst thing that could possibly happen. Men making their way down to the hiding place he and Riku had found earlier on. He immediately dropped the mushrooms and berries in his arms and fell to the ground, hiding himself among the long grass and shrubs. Riku was in trouble, and it was up to him to save him. Bottling up any trace amount of fear in his being, the prince slowly took hold of a long club like stick that had been close to hand. He made a stealthy progress towards the hole, the adrenaline pumping throughout his system.

* * *

Riku pushed himself further into the hole, hearing the voices of men who weren't familiar to him. And yet, he couldn't help but feel that he had heard the accents of their voices before.

"The footprints seem much fresher here."

"Think they're around here?"

"If there's a place to- hullo, what's this?"

"Wedge?"

"Footprints. They're walking away from here."

"So they've both left here," the deeper of the two voices fumed.

"No," the reedy voice murmured. "Only one of them did."

Silence. And then the reedy voiced man spoke again, "If one of the boys are here, then he can't be too far away."

The sound of shuffling feet as they searched around. Riku pushed himself further back, cursing that he dropped the knife back at their first hiding place when they were running away. If only he had it now to protect himself. He was brought out of his thoughts when he saw the bushes that hid the hole from view getting hacked away by an axe. "What ho! I think we found something!" A head covered by an iron helmet popped into view, staring straight at the silver-haired youth. "One of them is in here Wedge!"

"Get him out!"

"Right!" The big man reached out to grab Riku. "It's alright boy, we aren't gonna hurt you."

Riku, mistrustful and hoping that if he caused enough ruckus that Sora would run for it if he came back this way, kicked dirt at the large face. The man screeched in surprise. "The brat's got dirt in my eye!"

"I don't care Biggs! Just get him out!"

"Why don't you?!"

"Your great big arse is in the way, that's why!"

Riku tried his best to shuffle even further back into the hole, crawling on his belly but feeling his feet getting caught. He tried to kick himself free but found himself getting dragged out forcibly. As he was pulled out, the boy grabbed a rock and prepared himself to use it as a weapon.

He hadn't expected what had come next.

"Let go of him!" Sora's voice screeched in the morning air, a loud dong echoing after it as a helmet was hit by something heavy.

"Sweet Minerva!"

"The prince!" the man with the reedy voice exclaimed, ignoring his companion's agony.

It was then, Riku realised, that these men were actually wearing the colours of Midgar's military, and thus they were allies. He blinked a little, looking over to Sora who was still swinging haphazardly at his supposed enemies. "Leave Riku alone you- you bullies!"

"Um…my prince," Riku tentatively spoke. "They're on our side."

Sora had barely heard him until the man called Biggs grabbed the makeshift club, glaring angrily at the prince. Riku could tell what the man was thinking. Something along the lines of, if this brat wasn't the prince of Radiant Garden I would've had his hide. Sora blinked dumbly as he looked up and down him, slowly registering the colours that they were wearing.

"…Oh…whoops…"

* * *

Zack was the mild-mannered sort of man. Slow to anger, and even slower to cruelty, it took a lot to put the mountain king into a foul mood. As it so happened, the men he had sent to find the runaway prince and his servant that came back empty-handed had unfortunately wore his patience thin.

"You mean to tell me, after the helpful hints our 'honoured guests' told us about where they had gone, you _still_ couldn't find either of them?" Zack asked in a voice that was trembling between anger and calm.

"My dread lord," one man shakily spoke, using the age old title granted to all the kings of Midgar. "Moorlands are difficult to track down anything when we are more used to mountains."

"I don't care if you're more used to tracking on the surface of the moon!" Zack growled, standing up from his seat. "Radiant Garden is a close ally of ours and we will do everything we can to find the prince! No one is going to sleep until he's found!"

"My dread lord!" Zack's attention was immediately taken by one of the messengers of his encampment, looking at the men in question. "Two of our men found them! They're heading this way as we speak!"

Faster than his anger had come, relief swept across the mountain king's features. "How long till they arrive?"

"A moment. The watchmen sent me straight away to tell you."

"Good. Send word to Aurea that Prince Sora and his servant have been recovered safe and sound and that we will escort them to Borealias as promised."

"My dread lord." The messenger left. Zack's attention went back to the cowering men. "As for you lot, out of my sight before I change my mind on what to do with you." They scurried out, not wanting to incur the rarely shown wrath of the House Fair monarch. Zack slumped back into his chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose to stave off a headache. He didn't like having to be harsh with his own people but the young man had learnt that sometimes a harsh but firm hand was needed. Especially if one had all these pretender kings popping out of nowhere like he had, and a 'Peasant Queen' as one's wife. He smiled lightly at the thought of Aerith. Ahh…dear sweet Aerith who was waiting for him at home. There was nothing more he wanted than to go home to her and see how big the bulge had grown while he was gone, or press his ear against it to hear their child make its presence known.

With these thoughts in mind, time seemed to have flown by once the group of four were finally presented to him. Zack's blue eyes took into account of the two in front of him. Wedge was one of their finest trackers, and Biggs was never too far behind him since he fought off attackers from the smaller man if they got into trouble. The perfect partnership it seemed. And it had certainly helped to have this kind of partnership in the ranks indeed. He smiled warmly at the slightly dirty and bedraggled prince in front of him, who was avoiding eye contact, and the servant who looked worse for wear who respectfully averted his gaze as he spoke. "I thank you, my lord, for coming to our aid."

Zack just stood up, ordering, "Make sure these two men are rewarded handsomely for their efforts. And get a good medic too. This boy has an injury on his shoulder."

They were soon left alone once the orders were carried out. Once most were gone, Zack came walking over to Sora. He put his hands on the young boy's shoulders, looking down at him. "Any cuts or bruises?"

"None," Sora whispered, looking over to Riku with a look of concern. "Riku took the worst."

"He'll get looked to immediately before we make a move towards Borealias," Zack nodded, sighing a little. "You have no idea how worried your brother has been."

"He was?" Sora looked a bit shocked, never having known Leon to be worried about anything as he always had some scheme up his sleeve.

"Of course he was! This whole thing took him by surprise that he was pretty much on the verge of arresting anyone that seemed suspicious!" Zack then laughed, "What surprised me was that it took a well-timed nag from his concubine for him to come back to his senses. I never would've thought he had so much influence on him."

"Cloud did that?"

"Aye. Defended your servant too as there was talk of him being a traitor to Radiant Garden as well."

"But he came to rescue me!"

"And that's been a proven fact, with the amount of clues he left for the trackers to follow and for the fact he got away with you even though he risked his life." Zack then patted the boy's shoulder with a hand, pulling himself away. "And now, all that's left to do is to escort you home. Aurea will be alerted that you've been found in one piece."

Sora nodded his head, going over to Riku who was still standing there like any servant should, despite the profusely bleeding shoulder. Zack couldn't help but look amused that the prince was far more concerned for his servant's well being than his own. But then again, he guessed that was a good quality in the young boy that would only help him in life during times of peace.

* * *

When dawn gave way to day, it had been the king that had caught the carrier pigeon that had flown into the castle pigeon coop, having wanted to have some sort of idea on the progress of the search for his brother before he absolutely had to leave for Dalmasca. It came as a relief when he saw a small slip of parchment tied around the bird's talons, easily taking it off and then unravelling it impatiently to see the contents.

It was the news that he had wanted to hear the most. In relief, he fell against the wall and slid down, taking a few deep breaths to calm his already frayed nerves while the news sunk.

Sora was safe. And he would be taken to Borealias. To Leon, it was the best news in the world.

Now all that was left to deal with was the Archadians in Dalmasca. As Zexion had said, gaining the peace between their nations would be no small feat, and there was too much going against them for another war. It had to be done. It just had to be done, for everyone's sake.


	30. Peace

**A/N:** Hey guys. Sorry it took so long. It was a combination of:  
A) Loads of work getting on top of me  
B) Being very unwell for a long time  
C) Which therefore effects my brain, the source of all my creative powers. It stopped. Period. And I've only just got it back -sweatdrop-

But no worries. Because my illness put a stopper on it, I came back with a bang XD Well, a little one here -glares at its shortness- but a whole new idea for another time! Of course, I want to get HUS finished first (no matter how long it takes) so you'll have to wait and see what the chasm of my mind has produced :) OK, there was one thing that I think I better make it clear. One of you guys has seen one or two parrallels to another story. I just want to make it clear that it was my first time of even hearing of said story so I went to check it out. And I can now see why you thought it. To answer your concern: no. I hadn't realised it at all. Heck, I hadn't even heard of the manga! But I guess you can say that great minds think alike (and great minds might also follow the same pattern XD) I do hope this clears it up, and you guys keep reading! (And I also hope this doesn't sound snappy. I'm terrible for doing that without realising)

OK, thank you everyone for your reviews!!! Please continue to read and review! For they are my Thorntons Chocolate Bars!

Right, off to see Inkheart now -toddles off-

* * *

**Peace.** A word that very rarely could be used to describe the turbulent relationship that was essentially theirs as king and concubine. But now, Cloud could safely say that since taking up Leon's deal, their bond had certainly calmed down by a considerable margin. Maybe it had been that sense of relief of knowing that Radiant Garden's prince and heir to the throne was now in safe hands and Riku practically a national hero in these people's eyes. The blond wouldn't doubt that the king would acknowledge the feat, it was just how he was going to be rewarded that had got the former prince into a thoughtful daze as Fenrir beneath him padded over the moors to more arid places of Leon's kingdom.

The news of Sora and Riku's safe return into hands the court could trust had been greeted with great happiness, eliciting whoops of glee from once-troubled servants that were incredibly fond of the prince. But then again, the prince was liked by everyone, so it came as no surprise. It had been the happiness of knowing that Riku had been the one that had saved him, and the concern shown when they had heard he had been quite seriously wounded, that had surprised the concubine. Only a season ago, Riku had just been an enemy of theirs. And now, it was like he had become one of them. It made the former prince realise that maybe being forceful or always trying to use his now redundant status to get him out of situations was not the way to go.

And then he remembered the humorous encounter between the chief advisor and the king's knight, unable to not smile at the memory when the petit man was waving them off. Zexion had said something along the lines of 'don't push your luck with a certain Knight of the Order you have a friendly rivalry with'. Axel had replied rather quickly that in turn the advisor 'shouldn't get pushed around in bed with a certain bard you're more than friendly with.' Needless to say, this escalated into one of the two's usual bickering sessions, only ending when they had caught a glimpse of Leon drawing his blade and eyeing them warningly.

"Cloud? Is something the matter?"

Being brought back from his thoughts, the blond turned to his brother who was riding next to him, keeping a fair distance between himself and Axel. Cloud had to admit even he was beginning to worry about this argument the two seemed to be having, although this had been the most time the brothers had spent together since being captured after their battle against Leon's forces in springtide. After all, it was Axel who was taking care of him fulltime.

"Nothing. Just thinking."

"Oh." Roxas went back to looking ahead, pursing his lips a bit. "How long do you think it'll take to get there?"

"To Dalmasca? They're saying three days, maybe as much as four. I thought it would take longer though."

"Do you know anything about Dalmasca?"

"About as much as you do. It's a desert kingdom, the capitol is Rabanastre and it's ruled by Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca after her father unexplainably died."

"So we're just trekking through desert land?"

"That seems to be the case."

"Both of you are wrong," Tifa chirped as she came riding alongside them, having been given the privilege of a horse for her continued services. Also, the king had known that Tifa had become somewhat of an ally for Cloud so he was feeling generous when he decided to take her along with him with the other advisors, soldiers, knights and servants that made up the royal troupe. "We're travelling by boat to Rabanastre."

This was greeted with stone silence from the brothers, incredulously blinking at her answer. "Tifa," Cloud started tentatively. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes. Why?"

"How does one travel by boat through a desert?"

"You put the boat on the river and let the wind take you there," Tifa retorted, her eyes narrowed into slits.

"A river?!" Roxas exclaimed in disbelief. "But I thought deserts were these incredibly dry places that couldn't get water!"

"I take it that you've never really left your home until us 'barbarians' stole you away."

Roxas looked down at the pommel of his saddle, his cheeks burning bright scarlet from embarrassment. Cloud just shook his head, but even he had to admit that he never really passed the borders of Hollow Bastion either until Leon and his army came along. So his previous visions of a desert had been hashed up. "So, a boat ride to Rabanastre…"

"On the River Nebra. It sounds so romantic," Tifa sighed dreamily, obviously having some starry-eyed daydream of her and some fantasy prince charming her mind had conjured up. To Cloud, it seemed quite strange to see the usually tough maid acting like some beguiled damsel. "Though, I bet we'll be the ones helping out with the rowers."

"Huh?"

"Well the boat has to move somehow against a strong current and maybe a bad wind."

"What do you mean we'll be helping out the rowers?"

"You know, food and water, wipe their brows, be generally kind to them since they're doing their backs in for us. Well, that is, unless the king has other plans for you."

"You think he does?"

"Well considering that he's not terribly stressed out about his brother's disappearance ever since our conquering hero Riku saved his neck, I think his highness will be a bit more relaxed and will probably turn his attentions onto you and your-"

"Tifa! Not in front of Roxas!" Cloud hissed, putting a hand over her mouth, retracting it quickly when he felt teeth bite into his palm.

"Don't gag me," Tifa growled, frowning deeply. Cloud just glared at her. Roxas could only blink in naivety. The maid's attentions turned to the young squire. "So Roxas, how's your married life like?"

"What?!" Roxas shrieked, his face erupting into a healthy rosy blush on his pale cheeks. Cloud had been reduced to a mute while he looked dumbly between his young brother and his new ally in the king's household, feeling like he had missed something in their conversation.

"When did that happen?"

"It hasn't happened at all!"

"Us servants have been commenting about Sir Axel and the young master here acting like an old married couple," Tifa smiled dryly.

"We do not!" Roxas denied quickly, though the growing flush on his cheeks spoke otherwise.

Cloud looked towards the flame-haired warrior who was riding alongside the king, both of them conversing in quiet whispers and stern-faced, something of a common sight as of late for the knight since having to deal with the executions of people he thought he could trust. What's more, despite acting his cheerful normal self, any astute person could tell he was suffering.

"It couldn't hurt for you to be a bit kinder towards him…" Cloud murmured.

"I thought you were the advocate of making our 'hosts'' lives as miserable as possible," Roxas grumbled.

"Things have changed."

"How?"

"I'll explain later."

"Looks like we're stopping for a moment," Tifa spoke over them, having paid more attention to the soldiers that were cantering back to the supply wagons after being ordered by those higher up the procession. The three pulled on their reins to halt their mounts, seeing nothing but dry sandy dunes and brittle foliage, remnants of a bygone fertile land of long ago. Cloud stood up in his saddle, looking around him but just seeing sand; tons of it.

"How long will it take to get to the Nebra?" he asked.

"Should be there by tonight, then we travel by boat to Rabanastre for a day and arrive on the city outskirts the next morning," Tifa responded. "But that's if the wind is on our side and we have the manpower to get us there swiftly."

"I see…" He then sighed a little as he saw 'trouble' make its way over to them. Tifa politely bowed, as did Roxas, but Cloud just stared straight at Leon. He didn't give his captor the proper respect then, and he wasn't going to give it to him now. "Can I help you?" he asked in a clipped voice.

"It wouldn't hurt for you to be a bit more polite in public," Leon muttered as he pulled a water-skin towards them, watching Cloud take it with brash discourtesy from his hand. "And ration that. We won't be making another stop until we reach the Nebra."

"Are we in that much of a hurry?" Cloud remarked, passing the skin to Roxas who drank it gratefully.

"As it so happens, yes, yes we are," Leon countered, detecting a slight mocking tone in his concubine's voice. "And we would have been there far quicker if certain events didn't unfold."

"You would've been there far quicker if you just went," the other retorted, crossing his arms against his chest.

"I didn't come here to argue."

"Could have fooled me."

"Cloud…" The concubine could tell that the king's patience was wearing thin. But he could not help himself.

"And besides, just because we have this deal does not mean just looking at you inspires respect and goodwill on my part. I still strongly dislike you."

"That's it."

"What?" Cloud blinked in confusion. "What's what?" He gave out a surprised yelp when the king practically dragged him off Fenrir onto Griever and plonked the concubine in front of him. "Why you-!!"

"You there, take the horse." The king pointed out to a quite mature soldier that looked like he was on the verge of retiring from his post very soon, ignoring his concubine and looking rather satisfied with the look of gratitude on his subject's face.

"But that's my horse!" Cloud cried in outrage, thoroughly displeased with having to be put into this position.

"For now, that man deserves to ride a horse far more than you do. When you start behaving a bit more graciously, then we'll discuss whether you can ride your own horse or not."

"But-"

"Until then, you're riding with me."

"I'm not some damsel!"

"Did I ever suggest that you were?"

Cloud fumed in silence at that comment, glaring at anyone who dared to snigger at him and his rather suggestive position on Griever's back. Why was it that Leon seemed oblivious to the fact that it was more acceptable for a _woman_ to sit in front of a male rider?! The mere thought incensed him!

For the rest of the way to the River Nebra, Cloud silently went back to his old habit of plotting Leon's death while said person spoke to Axel and the other advisors that had opted to come with him. And for a while, it seemed like the peace and harmony happening between Cloud and Leon had just been a dream.

* * *

For Zexion, riding to Borealis was usually a peaceful time for him, mostly as it meant that he could actually take the time to relax during the two days travelling to the citadel. Especially if the king was heading to some other kingdom to establish better alliances, as more often than not Zexion would be left behind to take care of things in Radiant Garden.

Well, the peacefulness had pretty much been broken.

"Why are you _**still**_ here?!" Zexion demanded, glaring at the person that had clearly offended his sight.

"Felt like going to Borealis," the other replied, the bells on his person tinkling musically with every step he took.

Yes, Demyx was still bothering Zexion. Or at least, that's what the advisor thought. But the dynamics of their relationship had changed considerably ever since the bard had brought up that rather raw spot in their memories. Zexion was even tenser around the bard, while Demyx seemed to persist even more to fix the distance that Zexion had put between them. And although Zexion would usually appreciate it, this time he was far too annoyed to deal with it.

"I thought you would've been heading for a far warmer climate now," Zexion grumbled. "I mean, doesn't Bhujerba sound far nicer than autumn or winter in Radiant Garden."

"It does. But I'm in no mood to go."

"Why not?"

"Because you're still upset with me."

"I am not!"

"You are. You only start yelling if you're upset."

"I do not!" Oh but it was true, and Zexion knew that. Zexion was known or having a cool and collected head even in the face of danger, and for being ruthless when he had to be. He was not known for yelling or shouting. For Zexion to yell would be unsightly and out of character. And yet…Demyx could do just enough to break down the persona that was essentially Zexion. And that only further annoyed him.

"I'm sorry if I touched upon a sore spot for you a couple of days ago, but you have to understand that I-"

"Don't even say it," Zexion growled, encouraging Illusion to move further on. If Demyx said that he felt insecure, then Zexion would only get even more infuriated with the bard. He feeling insecure?! What about him, the one who was always being left behind like some unwanted animal?! He was the one that always felt wretched, ashamed and angered that he had been swept away by the travelling Bhujerban's words and actions!

And yet, Zexion could not deny that the bard had won him over completely. Though to say those words that conveyed such a heavy weight of emotions, the chief advisor could not find the courage to tell them to Demyx.

Demyx just chased after him, bells singing in melodious voices. "See what I mean. You're upset with me. And I'm telling you that I'm really very sorry for making you like that."

"Just shut up and leave me alone!" Zexion yelled, ignoring the stares they were getting from people.

"But Zexion-!"

"I told you to shut up!"

"Lord Zexion," one advisor rode up to them, looking a little peeved at the behaviour the young chief advisor was displaying. "May I remind you of your post and status in this court?"

"And may I remind _you_ of _your_ post and status in this court?" Zexion snapped irritably, sending a cold glare that could freeze a thousand men in their tracks if it had the power to do so. The advisor knew better than to anger with his senior in position. He rode back, his ego smarting lightly. Zexion's attention turned back to the road. "As for you, Demyx, continue this and I will have you thrown out of Borealis. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good. Stay out of my business." Zexion hadn't even noticed the look of hurt settling on the bard's face. He was too busy hiding his own anger at himself for letting his cool and cold image get swept away by the spoony bard.

* * *

The sun was even higher in the sky, causing the dry sand to burn scorching hot under the horses' hooves. The echoing cries of predator birds pierced the sky, seeming like they were circling the troupe though there were none to be seen. Cloud found himself slumped against Leon, his skin that was too warm to the touch from being under the scorching sun now glistening with sweat. He was beginning to wish he could have opted to ride in a caravan, away from the heat, but he didn't want to damage his own pride at the cost of comfort.

"Heat getting to you?" Leon asked, having accepted the offer of a soaked cloth wrap to go around his head. Cloud had stubbornly refused it, and was starting to regret it.

"Shut it…" Cloud panted, feeling his eyes droop lightly. He felt the other heave a sigh. The horse under them stopped for a moment, and the man behind him started shifting in his seat.

"Bring that pail back," Leon ordered, his gaze resting on the young soldier that had been running to and fro among those who were at the front of the group as he approached him. A moment later, Cloud had felt something cool being pressed to his forehead, making him sigh in light relief. "You should've accepted the offer you were made before. The sun is a dangerous enemy in this place."

"I had no idea that you cared so much about me…" Cloud grumbled.

"Not so much as that. I just don't want to deal with you when you're unwell."

"How kind…"

"Don't get crotchety with me…" He then offered the water skin that he had been untying during the course of their chat. "Here."

Cloud took it and drank greedily, a few droplets of water trailing their way down his neck. He ignored the light chuckle coming from the man behind him, though almost jumped out of his own skin when he felt calloused fingers follow that trail the water had made in a bid to wipe it away.

"Such a messy drinker." Cloud swore he could hear the older man's lips creep up into a smirk.

"I'll show you messy," Cloud growled lowly, on the edge of killing a certain person if he did not remove his hand this instant.

"Oh? That so?" Leon seemed more amused than intimidated at Cloud's low threat, whispering into his ear lightly, "How about later tonight, hmm?"

It was only then that Cloud realised the error of his vague threat. "You-!"

"If I may interrupt you two," the gravelled voice of the king's knight cut across the concubine's screech of protest. "We're nearly at the Nebra."

Leon blinked, then looked a little further in front of him, nodding his head in understanding. "So it is…" He kicked Griever on, ignoring the fuming blond sitting in front of him. "Order everyone to pick up the pace. It's going to take a while to get everyone on board the ships our hosts have presented us."

"Got it," Axel nodded, turning Flame around and encouraging the colt to break into a canter, barking out the king's orders.

Cloud fumed on, trying his hardest to ignore feeling Leon's arms resting on his hips and the other's hair tickling the pale skin of his neck. Once more he reverted back to his old habit of plotting Leon's demise. Such thoughts, however, were put out of his mind as the rode ever closer to the River Nebra, where sails the colour of the deep blue sea waved in the wind upon tall wooden masts of large boats made for travelling up and down rivers.

If Cloud had been back in Hollow Bastion, he might not have seen such a strange yet wonderful sight. So maybe…maybe in a sense, being captured by Leon had its good points. Though not many- he quickly caught himself. The evening encounters in the king's chambers still weighed heavily on his mind, as did the king's sudden obsession with having to touch him.

Such things, Cloud had once dryly laughed at himself, were making him rather obsessive himself. And he wasn't sure if that was healthy for a vengeance seeking prince.


	31. Silence

**A/N:** Merry Christmas everyone! I can't believe its almost been a full year since I first posted _Heart Under Siege_, and I have to say I'm thoroughly grateful for all the support I've been given for this. Here's hoping that I finish this massive novel soon (I'm aiming for 50 chapters at most. Knowing me, that's going to be quite an undertaking XD). I'd also hoped that I'd get off the Dalmascan Arc sooner and do a quick chapter for Xmas, but I'm going to have to try for midwinter instead (which should be somewhere around January if I've got my facts right about Viking festivals (those who know better please correct me)). In short, I have to crack on with this otherwise I'm going to miss it entirely! My thanks goes to **bigfan**, the only anon reviewer of this chapter, and to everyone else who has reviewed me (and please expect replies this time!) Please read and review! For they are my chocolate yule log! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

* * *

**Silence.**

Total and complete silence in the lonely room that belonged to the chief advisor greeted Zexion. It had been a long day of travelling from Aurea Castle to the citadel of Borealis, and he had to put up with the ever persistent Demyx. Did that man ever learn the meaning of 'no'? He didn't want to listen to what Demyx had to say. He didn't want to hear his side of the story. He just wanted Demyx to understand how he felt. Was that too much to ask from him? It seemed so.

The slate-haired man collapsed onto the bed, pressing his head into the small goose-down pillow. Why did Demyx bring back that still quite sore memory in his heart? It was uncalled for, and besides, it was in the past, far into the past. And yet, Zexion couldn't help but think back to those days before Demyx ever came into the picture, when it was just him, Leon and Axel.

* * *

"_Stop! Thief!" _

_A young Zexion ran as fast as his legs could carry him, pushing past people that were in his way as silently and unnoticeably as he could, clutching the small book that he had taken a liking too close to his heart. About twenty to thirty paces behind him was the book seller, spewing curse words and threats of what he was going to do to the beggar child once he caught him. None of what he said sounded appealing to the young boy, putting on an extra burst of speed to help his progress. Eventually though, he had found a small hiding spot in a disused stable yard, hiding in amongst the hay, trying to shallow his panting breath._

_He was only a small boy of about eight years, with long and dishevelled slate-coloured hair and filthy pale skin. His clothes were basically discoloured and dirty rags that barely hung off his hips and shoulders, tied together by a harsh cord of rope so that they wouldn't fall. He was an orphan; no recollection of a family, no knowledge of any living family members at all. And yet, he could say he had been one of the lucky ones a year ago. _

_At the age of three, he had been taken into the care of an elderly man. Before that, Zexion was pretty much being taken care of by a beggar woman who had wanted a child but didn't have the means to take care of one. She could've been his mother, but on the other hand she could've snatched the chance at having a child by taking the orphaned boy once his parents had died. Regardless, the elderly man had taken him off her hands and raised the orphan as if he were his own son, travelling with him from their old homeland to a new home in the wild moors of Radiant Garden._

_By age five, Zexion learnt that his "father" had been a scholar of Lindblum, and a brilliant one at that. What astounded the young boy though was that the man had put himself into exile, having grown angered that the new blood of scholars were doing such a shoddy job of their research as most where only doing it for the money. With nothing being done about it, he packed up and left to live in solitude. Zexion, however, was a pleasant surprise for him. After Zexion's "father" revealed all this, the elderly man began to teach him how to read and all manner of other things that made up the natural world that they lived in, such as which plants could heal, which could cause harm, how to tell when the heavens would pour down their tears and which birds heralded the arrival of the warmer months. In a sense, Zexion was being given an invaluable gift. One that would greatly determine the rest of his life._

_When he turned seven, things turned for the worst. His fatherly figure had grown ill during the course of the last year and no matter of healing herbs or well gathered food could help to cure him of his illness. A few days after the day they decided would be Zexion's birthday, the elderly man died from his great age, leaving the poor boy alone. It was then Zexion walked the entire way to the citadel of Borealis, the home of the barbarian kings of the moor-land kingdom. And it was then that he made it his home, even though he had no money and a bleak future._

_Taking a deep breath, Zexion relaxed once he was sure the man he had stolen from had gone. Nestling down into the hay, he opened the book slowly and started to read, his voice quiet as he read aloud. It was just a short book on philosopher's theory; not exactly the reading material for an eight-year-old child but for Zexion, this seemed like a luxury that had to be enjoyed slowly and without interruption. Of course, it was just his luck that it was short lived._

"_What are you reading?"_

_The young boy jumped, looking up with a startled expression. Sitting on an old beam that would've kept the horses in when the stable was once used was another boy. He was very well dressed in a fine tunic and boots, groomed to perfection with his clean skin, carefully cut burnt earthen coloured hair and impeccable posture despite his young age. It was the boy's eyes that had captured Zexion's attention, the colour of them being like that of the sky in the prologue of a mighty storm. Zexion inched back a bit from his spot, narrowing his eyes. A boy such as this would have to have been part of the merchant class at the very least, if not nobility._

"_Are you deaf?" the boy asked, quirking a brown eyebrow. "Or are you just stupid?"_

"_I'm not stupid," Zexion hissed, though it was more like a kitten hissing at an enemy with little effect._

"_Then what are you reading?"_

"_A book. Are you blind?"_

_The boy frowned, jumping off his perch and striding over to him confidently, almost like a proud lion cub. "I know it's a book. Just what is it about?" He seemed to be getting annoyed, but the boy hadn't yet revealed his higher status, as if he refused to use it against the other who was lower than a commoner. Zexion sighed, and then shrugged._

"_Utopia."_

"_That philosophy from Ansem the Wise?"_

_Zexion looked up at that, seeing the seemingly impressed expression on the young boy's face. Zexion narrowed his eyes, challenging the other to tell him he shouldn't be reading such material; far too dangerous for a peasant to get such ideas after all. "Yes."_

"_You sure you're a peasant?"_

"_Do you see me wearing great finery equal to your own?"_

_The boy shook his head, squatting down in front of the beggar child. Both studied each other intently, as if trying to figure out what the other was planning on doing next._

"_Why do you even have that book? And how come you know how to read? I know for a fact that book hasn't got the privilege of pictures."_

"_I stole it, and none of your business."_

"_I could tell the soldiers about you stealing from the market."_

"_Like they would care."_

"_The Regent recently said she was going to put her foot down on crime, per orders of the king. Even the petty crimes."_

"_And you would send a boy your own age to the hangman's noose or the torturer's axe?" Zexion questioned him, knowing full well that a small offence could end up either in the stocks, the pillory or far worse, but far rarer or saved for bigger offences, loosing a hand or a life. The boy seemed to ponder over this, looking at the other thoughtfully._

"_No," he finally said at last. "Don't think I could."_

_Zexion gave the boy his smallest and most quietly confident smiles, something that he only ever showed when he was sure that he had someone wrapped around his little finger. He was a manipulator, pure and simple. And he took great pride in persuading others to see things his way._

"_What's your name?" the boy asked._

"…_Zexion. What's yours?"_

"_Leon."_

"_Well then, Master Leon, why aren't you home like any good upstairs boy should be?"_

_Leon narrowed his eyes, clearly annoyed. "I didn't feel like being fussed over by servants."_

_So he was part of nobility. Zexion shifted a bit in his spot, hiding his unease. He may have said that he wasn't going to turn him in, but that was no reason to be comfortable around the boy._

"_Why are you here instead of begging for food or stealing it? Why did you steal a book of all things?" Leon questioned, leaning in curiously._

_Zexion turned away. "I don't see why I should tell you."_

"_I won't turn you in if you tell me."_

"_Why should I trust you?"_

"_Because I give you my word." His face was solemn and strong, not even twitching or showing signs of a barefaced lie that Zexion had begun to be accustomed to searching ever since he came to the citadel. The beggar child slowly nodded his head, seeing that he had nothing to fear. This boy came across as one who would stand true to his word._

"_It would have been what the man who had raised me as his own would've wanted. He taught me to read. That in itself is invaluable and…precious to me."_

"_If you can read, why won't you find work or go to a monastery? You'll do more good there than on the streets."_

"_When I'm in this state? I'll get yelled at for wasting their time. I'm just a child, an orphan, and a dirty beggar."_

"_But you'll get punished if you're caught stealing. And monasteries are duty bound to take in orphans."_

"_I don't want to go into a monastery," Zexion had growled lowly, glaring at the boy for even suggesting it. "Don't you know what happens to the children who end up becoming apprentice monks there?"_

"_They cut their hair so that they're bald around the top."_

"_Exactly. And I like my hair where it is."_

_The two boys stared at each other, as if trying to get the upper hand on the other. Zexion still wondered though why Leon, who revealed himself to be of the nobility class, was still here talking to someone of a lesser class like him. _

"_Do you spend your time here a lot?"_

"_Sometimes. Its one of my hiding places."_

"_Will I find you here again?"_

"_Why do you want to know?"_

"_What if I came back with other books or food?"_

"_Why would you do that?"_

"_Because I don't want to see someone my age getting punished for trying to survive or for being clever."_

_Zexion blinked, surprised, but he guessed he could use this to his advantage. Even though he found it hard to believe that Leon would keep up with his promise. "Alright. I'll wait here for you at noon everyday."_

"_Make it every two days."_

"_Fine."_

_

* * *

_

As time wore on and the one season passed into another, Zexion always found himself being impressed or surprised that Leon had dutifully kept to his word, bringing enough food that would last the orphan beggar until the next time the noble boy visited him again and a book for the two of them to read together. As it were, they both started looking to each other as good friends, though Zexion would never admit that he saw Leon as an ally he was not willing to share with anyone.

_He found that such a selfish thought was not entirely the case one autumnal afternoon, after Leon had forced Zexion to hide in the hay with him._

"_What is it?"_

"_Stay quiet," Leon hissed, his eyes trained at the entrance as he heard footsteps of boots tapping against the cobbles. Zexion sunk further into the hay, seeing as a form appeared in the entrance of the stable. _

_It was another young boy, though he looked at least a year or two older than them. His hair was a wild and vibrant bush of fiery red which complimented his bright green eyes and dark green tunic he (no doubt) had been dressed in by servants. Leon gave out a small irritated growl, pushing himself and Zexion even further down. The strange boy heaved an annoyed sigh, taking out what looked like a knife from a light brown scabbard that was tied by a cord around his waist._

"_You can't hide from me forever," he muttered, heading straight for the haystacks. "I followed you here, highness."_

"_Highness?" Zexion hissed, looking at Leon with an inquisitive glance._

"_Shhh!" Leon shushed, though he made too vigorous a move in his motion to silence the other boy. The other boy had caught onto it, pouncing on top of Leon._

"_Caught you!"_

"_Get off me Axel!"_

"_Did you think I wouldn't notice you leaving the castle almost every day?" the boy, now revealed to be called Axel, questioned. His face was the picture of annoyance. "And you don't even invite me! You're closest friend and squire!"_

"_You're my only friend and squire, you idiot."_

"_Details, deta…ils…" Axel had just noticed the other boy among them, peering at him. "You've been seeing a girl?"_

"_I'm a boy!" Zexion snapped, standing up quickly._

"_Prove it."_

"_I don't see why I should!"_

"_Alright then." Axel simply reach over to pull the young beggar child's trousers down, only to be tackled by Leon._

"_Leave him alone you overgrown carrot!"_

"_Carrot?! My hair is not orange!"_

_Zexion looked at them in wonder as they fought like puppies over a large bone that had just been thrown to them from the dinner table. It then slowly dawned on him what was going on, and then his instincts sprung into action when he heard more sounds coming close to them._

"_Shut up the pair of you!" Zexion hissed, trying to find a way out of the stable without having to run into whoever had followed the two noble boys. Unfortunately, the boys had paid no heed. Zexion paled when he saw three men dressed in ramshackle outfits, greasy hair falling past their shoulders, one without an eye, another without an ear and the third was missing two fingers from his left hand. Zexion back away lightly, giving the two nobles a swift kick to get them out of their play fight._

"_Ow! What was that…" The boy called Axel finally realised the situation they were in at that moment. "Oh…" Even Leon, who Zexion had found peculiar with his usual stoicism, had paled a bit._

"_Well, well, well," the man with only one eye croaked, "what do we 'ave 'ere?"_

"_I'd say an 'andsome amount of money, plus a rat," the man with only one ear cackled. The one with two missing fingers only smirked cruelly._

_Zexion knew these men. They were some local thieves, but many people muttered out of earshot how they seemed to represent the saying 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil'. Some even went as far as to say that they had been punished by some legendary group of outlaws, or some witch or dwarf depending on who you heard the story from, for stealing from them. There was only one thing true about them though; they were dangerous. Only a few people ever lived to tell the tale of dealing with them._

_Of course, it was very apparent that Leon had never heard of them. "What do you want?" he growled, trying to sound threatening though his childlike voice seemed to forbid him to be like that. The men ignored him._

"_Kill the rat and take the boys as hostages."_

_Faster than anyone could've expected, Axel had drawn his small knife and stabbed it into the leg of the man with one ear, a piercing screech escaping him. Leon grabbed Zexion's wrist and bolted forward, Axel following behind quickly. "Run!"_

_They ran as fast as they could, Zexion feeling his heart pounding in between his ears as they sped through the maze of alleys and backstreets. Eventually, he managed to take the lead once he had recognized key landmarks in the streets he called home. "This way!" He pulled Leon to what looked like a small hole in the wall, crawling through and then encouraging his two companions to crawl quickly, though he and Leon had to pull Axel through when they could hear the men catching up with them._

"_You think we're safe?" Leon asked, panting heavily._

"_They'll just climb over the wall," Zexion wheezed lightly, looking around for the next escape route, before grabbing Leon's wrist. "This way!"_

"_Hey! Wait for me!" Axel yelled, following them quickly._

"_Just where are you taking us?!" Leon demanded._

"_Back to the market! We'll lose them there!" Zexion forced them to move ahead of him, kicking a bunch of boxes and pushing some barrels to make obstacles to slow their pursuers down, hearing them curse and swear terrible oaths at him. For Zexion, this was nothing unusual. He lost sight of the two nobles however, and although it worried him, he feared about what would happen to him if he went looking for them and those three had caught them after all. Deep down, he hoped that the fate of the two nobles had not been that. _

_He kept running, panting heavily and from time to time creating more obstacles to slow down the men's progress just in case they should try any of the shortcuts that the orphan beggar knew existed until he finally arrived at the market square, breaths escaping him in weighty gasps. There seemed to be a commotion though, which confused the young beggar child somewhat. There wasn't a public execution going on was there? He moved forward into the crowd, looking over his shoulder to see that none of the men were following him, either having lost their quarry or had been caught out by one of Zexion's handmade obstacles. Looking back forward, as he moved further in, he could see one or two of the royal flags of House Leonhart fluttering on poles. And then he saw a regal woman sitting on the back of an almost glittering white stallion, her black hair pulled up into a hair piece that had all manner of red and blue gems hanging off silver adornments. Her dark eyes roved around the crowd passively, until finally landing on whoever was standing in front of her. As Zexion inched even further forward…he soon spotted the two nobles he had been protecting, both of them hanging their heads like convicts walking in chains._

"_I cannot believe our own king would do something this reckless when he's at such a young age," Zexion heard a woman close to him whisper. He tensed. All this time and it was the __**king**__ who had been talking to him for all these months_

"_The young tend to do reckless things at this age," another replied. "Though I'm surprised he outsmarted the guards."_

"_Clearly not the Aurelias boy though," yet another muttered. Zexion edged a little further to the edge of the crowd, wincing as he heard the Regent (he assumed) scolding the two boys in a high booming voice. He smiled just lightly. The past few months had been nice while they lasted, but it appeared that he wouldn't get the royal consideration he had been enjoying anymore. At least he had saved the king. And for Zexion, the satisfaction on having done just that was enough. He turned to leave, knowing that he would have to find another hiding place now that the old stable had been found._

_Hyne seemed to have other plans though._

"_Hey, Zexion!" The beggar child froze in his spot, having hoped that he would not be spotted. There were mutterings from the crowd again, some of confusion, some of credulousness and others of disapproval. He felt his wrist being grabbed by a hand he had somewhat become quite familiar with, turning to face Leon…no, the king._

"_Yes…your highness?" he stammered._

"_You saved my life."_

"_I-It was nothing. Just take it as pay back." Zexion gulped, not liking to have all this attention on him, especially disliking the questioning stares of the king's regent, their guards and one or two advisors that had joined the Regent in her search for her deceased mistress's son. "I know you're probably not allowed to come out again without an armed guard and that we might never see each other, but its expected that someone like you and someone like me should never even be speaking to each other so-"_

"_I want you to come with me." The sheer bluntness of this statement had almost sent the young beggar reeling over his feet, blinking at the king with numb shock. His shock was shared by thousands of other eyes._

"_I-I can't accept that! I'm a beggar! I'm the lowest of the low!"_

"_If I were to not reward the person I owe my life to, what kind of king would I be?" Leon said, his face still as serious as ever, just as Zexion had known it. The other boy, Axel, walked up to them._

"_I'd hate to say it, but I owe you one too," he grumbled, clearly a bit repulsed at the thought of having a debt with a beggar._

"_But what about…" Zexion looked over their shoulders to the stone-faced Regent._

"_Edea won't fight me," Leon assured him, suddenly dragging the beggar towards them. "You're my honoured friend and ally, and an example of how I will treat those who have earned my respect and friendship."_

_And thus, that was how Zexion was introduced into the court of the boy king. All because of one stolen book, which triggered the series of small acts of kindness._

* * *

"…ion…Zexion! Oi! Wake up!"

Had he fallen asleep? He guessed he had after a long few days of travelling and restless nights over the retrieval of Prince Sora. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake away the blurry images, too tired to even yell at the person in front of him.

"Didn't I say you were too tired to handle much more?" the man despaired, helping the chief advisor up.

"How…did you get in here?"

"You left the door open. I got worried when you didn't respond to a knock, and even more so when I realised you hadn't locked it. You're usually so careful."

"…you promise you didn't take advantage?"

"You take me to be some sort of demon?"

"No…"

A deep sigh as the man carried Zexion over to the bed. "Promise me you're going to rest at least for the night."

"…Fine…"

A small smile as Zexion was laid down, then a kiss on the forehead that had prompted the petite advisor to blush considerably. "Good. I'll come back for you in the morning."

"Don't bother…I still haven't forgiven you Demyx."

"I know. I'll still come," Demyx smiled brightly. "Have a pleasant evening."

Zexion hadn't the heart to call him some elaborate insult, curling up a bit in the bed as he whispered, "Idiot."

Silence once more reigned supreme in the room. And for once, Zexion thought there had been far too much of it. The sooner everyone –the prince, his servant, Cloud and the king– came back to the citadel, the far easier the advisor could rest.


	32. Beautiful

**A/N:** Happy Birthday to HUS!! That's right everyone! Heart Under Siege is exactly 1 years old as of 12 January! I'm surprised how strong its still going after a year of writing it on and off -laugh- Anyways, to celebrate, I give to you an update, and news.

The news is that I'm planning on writing another story (and this time I'm challenging myself by writing Leon as the uke instead of Cloud -shock and horror-) but I'll be putting it up on my still under-construction LiveJournal. Once I've got the hang of it, I'll give you the link to the story. And one hopes you'll like it!!

And so, my thanks goes to these people: Envious Invidia, Kitara Strife, iamaspidermonkey, Uchiha Sasha, Billie the fourth sage, TWEG & 801, ., ObSeSsEd WiTh ROXAS, Yoru no Kuronue, Izzy-Lawliet, chibibabe07, Shadow Cat17, Namesake, Riceball the Second, Sky Blue Baby, Black Wolfess, Uncertain, Empress Satori, ForeverFallen304, Aindel S. Druida, EriNicoleAndUKnowIt, cailey77, and Ebil Chameleon. Thank you all! Slices of birthday cake to you!

Thank you for reading, and please enjoy and review! For reviews are my birthday cake!

* * *

"**Beautiful**."

"What?" Cloud grumbled, rubbing his eyes as he tried to stave off a headache coming on.

"Nothing," Leon sighed, taking his eyes off Cloud quickly.

"You said something."

"That's just the drink talking."

A pregnant pause…then Cloud jumped, startled. "Drink?"

"Yes. Miraculously some spirit possessed you and forced you to helping some of the men load onto the ship so-"

"Skip the details and get to the part where we got to drinking," Cloud snapped, uncaring at this point about what had happened before _that_ point. Leon just rolled his eyes, giving him a narrow eyed look. Cloud sighed. "Please."

"Thank you. I thought you pulled your weight enough, so I decided to reward you."

"Oh?"

"A night of comfort over a night of general suffering below decks," Leon elaborated.

"Ah." Cloud would never admit it, but he was grateful that he hadn't been forced to sleep below deck. The conditions definitely left little to be desired for. He looked at him, as if trying to find something that Leon was hiding. Unfortunately, Leon seemed to be having one of those days when he hid very little at all; and although it aggravated Cloud, it was frustrating to a lesser degree. At least, he had thought, Leon was being honest. He turned back to look at himself, grateful to see that he was still clothed. Surely that meant nothing had happened, right? "You said something…"

"Excuse me?"

"Just a while ago. Before I woke up."

"I didn't."

"I'm not stupid Leon."

"Will you ever refer to me with the proper respect?"

"No, and don't change the subject."

"I swear to Hyne almighty that I said nothing." Leon even put a hand over where his heart was to emphasise the point.

"You do know that it's considered blasphemy for swearing a lie to Hyne's name, right?"

"And I still hold to the fact that I said nothing."

Cloud rolled his eyes, turning over so that he was on top of Leon, peering at him with suspicion. Leon could only smirk, but kept quiet. "What are you smirking for?" the blond asked lowly.

"Nothing."

"Will you stop saying that word?!"

"…No."

Cloud scoffed, shaking his head and looking away. "You're impossibly frustrating."

"Maybe," Leon smiled quietly, suddenly turning them around so that he was pinning the concubine down on the makeshift bed of Dalmascan silks. "But so are you."

Cloud still didn't look at him, not even surprised by the move. At this point, Cloud had nothing to be surprised about. "I'll take it as a compliment."

"You do that."

Cloud sighed, closing his eyes, and turning his head. He gasped when he felt the king nip at his neck, a hand slowly trailing up his chest under his tunic like some piece of gossamer fabric being dragged across him. He clenched his jaw tightly, forcing himself not to make any sounds that would give away what he was truly feeling, but his skin flushed rose red when the other on top of him started suckling a spot he favoured along his neck. He didn't see the look of amusement on the king's face.

"Let your voice out."

"Like I would do such a womanly thing," Cloud growled.

"Is that so?" Leon chuckled darkly, tweaking one pert nipple between his calloused fingers roughly, earning a small groan from the concubine underneath him. He almost laughed at seeing the scandalised look on Cloud's face. "You should stop being so stubborn."

"And you should stop being a bastard," Cloud retorted.

"Have I not been?"

"No. You have not."

In a turn of surprising events, Leon had merely shrugged and stopped what he was doing, opting to turn on his side and pull Cloud along. The blond had looked at him as if the king had sprouted two extra heads and a pair of draconic wings to go with them. "What are you…?"

"Sleep," Leon ordered quietly. "We have a long day ahead of us."

Cloud was too shocked for words that Leon seemed to have done the opposite of what he had expected him to do that he only nodded dumbly and did as Leon had half-suggested, half-ordered. What had happened to that Leon he had been so willing to hate? Why had he been replaced by this one who seemed to be more considerate and kinder…than he had been?

* * *

If there was anything Roxas had not expected from this excursion into the desert kingdom of Dalmasca, he hadn't expected it to be so cold at night. He always envisioned desert life as hot during the day, warm during the night, no rivers running through the sands and just miles upon miles of sand as far as the eye could see. Now he could see it wasn't like that at all. No wonder the company had brought their furs along as well as the light clothing the Dalmascan boatmen wore during the daytime.

He jumped when he felt something being draped over his shoulders. "You're going to catch a cold if you don't wrap up warmly," Axel's low voice murmured into his ear. For a moment, Roxas was thankful for a dark night that concealed his darkening blush. He cursed himself, feeling foolish for even letting Axel get to him like this.

"Clear night, isn't it?" Axel muttered, leaning against the side of the boat and looking up into the starlit sky.

"It is," Roxas replied quietly, not looking at him. "I didn't expect it to be so cold though…"

Axel made a sound as if he was going to say something, but then he stopped himself and shook his head. Roxas would've smiled lightly; their argument had made Axel more aware of the consequences of what he was saying to him. For some strange reason, it made him happy.

"…are you still angry with me?" Axel asked.

"…a little. But I think I've simmered down about it now."

Another pregnant pause. "I…only did what I did, and allowed what had to happen, because I wanted to make it clear to everyone…that if anything happened to you, or to anyone I've come to care for, I'll hunt them down and make them feel as much pain as you, or anyone else, did."

Roxas looked at Axel, startled. The red-head hadn't looked down from his star-gazing; his face was serious, almost as if it were made from stone. Roxas could only blink and whisper, "…what?"

"Don't make me repeat myself," Axel growled. "I know you heard it."

"Yes but…why?" Axel looked at Roxas, raising a brow in confusion. Roxas just stared at him, trying to find answers, but finding none whatsoever. "Why…why do you care about me?"

Axel looked at him for a long while, searching the young boy's face intently. He then smiled quietly, reached over and ruffled the boy's impressive array of spiky golden hair. "You'll understand one day."

"That's not an answer," Roxas stated, looking at him intently. "Why do you care about me?" He was sick of not knowing what Axel was thinking; tired of being the one who was always out of the loop. He wanted to know, and he wanted to know right now.

Axel sighed, seeing that this could not be evaded by arguments or simple pats on the head to assure the young squire. He could tell him…but would the reaction from the blond be all that positive?

"Axel, please, answer me," Roxas pleaded, his eyes locked onto his face.

How on earth was he going to avoid this topic? The knight found himself doing something he never thought he would do.

"Fine." He pulled the boy close into an embrace, almost smirking at hearing the breath escape from Roxas while one hand trapped his head against his chest and the other arm wrapped around his waist tightly.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

"Answering you," Axel replied quietly. "Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Yes, but in words!"

"Hush." His hold on the boy tightened, refusing to let him go, his eyes were closed. He was thankful that everyone seemed to be more interested on what was going on below deck or at the stern of the ship, rather than at the bow where they were. Too much questions would be asked. Axel wasn't overly keen on giving too many answers tonight. One or two were enough. And in the physical sense.

Anyone who knew him well enough would know that he was a strong believer in the saying 'actions speak louder than words'. Clearly, his young squire had yet to learn that. He didn't expect the boy to lean lightly against him or clutch at his tunic so tightly. To Axel, it meant that Roxas had only been keeping an angry front to hide a feeling that –assumingly– the boy had been trying to come to terms with.

Upset; and with that came confusion. And for a reason only known to the red-head, he was immensely pleased to have discovered this knowledge.

"You…" Roxas started.

"Hmm?"

"You are the most bizarre and confusing man I've ever met…"

Axel only lightly smirked, bringing the boy closer to him. "You don't know even half of me then."

"Will you tell me?"

"Best you found out yourself," the knight replied, his illuminated emerald-coloured eyes looking back up to the starlit sky. It was more of a challenge, but partly a defence too. Axel had a bad experience of being too open.

He did not want that repeated.

* * *

The day travelling along the river had passed by uneventfully, though everyone from servant and rower, to knight and king helped in some way to speed up the pace the ship was going.

And Cloud had to -grudgingly- admit that Leon was impressively built at his young age of only 20 years. Tanned from the many battles he had taken part in and hours of training in the outdoors, Leon's body was a slimly built Herculean form that shone with sweat from the exertion of helping sailors pull at the numerous amounts of ropes that controlled the sails. And Axel was nothing to overlook either; although a shade paler and skinny to the point that he looked almost skeletal, his musculature had many a giggling maid look on in admiration. Cloud also noticed that Roxas was blushing hotly like a green girl himself, making him fodder for Tifa's teasing.

For the best part, the trip had been uneventful. Cloud just helped below decks during the day since Leon forbade him to come up on deck while the sun was high, and at night he once found himself entangled in the king's bed, though surprisingly only glistening with sweat from the heat of a freakishly balmy night (the one the brothers from Hollow Bastion had been expecting) and not from lust-filled sex.

Cloud found himself in the early hours of the morning just sitting up in the bed, chin on his knees that had been brought up to his chest, deep in thought. Lately, he had been less inclined to hate his most abhorrent enemy. In fact, he was beginning to rather like –_like?!_– the king. Or at least, Cloud tried to assure himself, he was starting to see the good qualities in Leon. Like he was actually a very caring and considerate person, all stoicism and cold answers aside. Like he put everyone else's needs before his own. And if one for a moment ignored the fact that Leon was a conqueror of lands through war and battle, you could understand that Leon had very little choice as Radiant Garden was practically all moor-land; a place where crops could barely grow, so they could only breed animals for meat and leather, with no riches to speak of, and people who were barbarians and needed a firm hand to keep them in their place. They needed to trade, and if not that, they needed to conquer lands that could support them. Otherwise, people would be far poorer and suffering in Leon's kingdom.

It made him look at himself in the past, as an arrogant prince who only had to snap his fingers to have his demands met. He didn't care about anyone other than his immediate family and Riku; peasants were just peasants to him, and dispensable. He had to have his own needs met first before anyone else's, save for one or two exceptions. And he didn't even _think_ what Hollow Bastion had needed, or even bothered to look at how poor or well off his people were. He had been selfish, conceited and a _joke_ to his former title. He didn't deserve to rule over people. He should've been executed on the spot for his sins in his humble opinion.

As it were, the only thing close enough to that was the still unfading scar on his shoulder from Leon's foreign blade from the day they first met, fought and Cloud being subsequently captured because of his failure. He rubbed at it lightly. His mark from Leon…he had heard the tale of Axel's facial marks, and wondered if one day he too could look at this scar not in shame but in some form of understanding; like a lesson of why he should _not_ get caught. Pride of being captured sounded ridiculous in his head.

"You're awake," Leon muttered, his eyes still closed.

"Hmm…"

"You're thinking about what?"

"Nothing…everything…" the concubine shook his head. "No…nothing…"

"Make your mind up," Leon grumbled, pulling the younger man down to him, his arm keep a firm hold on his body. Cloud didn't even bother to struggle. "Otherwise I'll decide for you."

"Decide on what I'm thinking? Edea must have given you powers then if you can decide on my train of thought."

Leon chuckled quietly, not at all taking offence to the elusion of his former nurse and regent being a sorceress like Cloud had expected. From gossiping servants did he hear of the last person to outright accuse her of witchcraft. Thumbscrews and 'The Boot'. They said that the poor man's screams could still be heard even to this day if one where to find the ghosts of that event in the dungeons.

Leon's hand caressed the skin of his concubine's back lightly, from time to time pinching, eliciting some outraged gasps and heavy breaths which only made him smirk with glee. "We land near Rabanastre tomorrow."

"I know that," Cloud growled. "Don't take me for an idiot."

"I never said you were," Leon countered. His face was serious. "Keep your head down and your face hidden. You'll stand out like a sore thumb in public."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Dalmascan's are either very dark, or very pale depending on their upbringing. But none of them have blue eyes." He patted his head. "I just don't want some fool to think he can take something of mine."

"I'm not yours," Cloud sighed, looking away. "I'm my own."

Leon sat up, bringing the concubine up with him. His hands were now gripping Cloud's upper arms tightly like claws. Cloud winced a little as he felt fingers dig into his pale skin. "Don't fight me," Leon whispered lowly. "Not while we're here."

"Why?"

"Archadians," Leon responded, as if it were the only answer in the world that everyone knew. "If they see there's a weak spot in my kingdom, they'll strike it without mercy."

"Which means that I'm the weak spot, correct?" Cloud asked, looking at him with deadpan stare in his eyes. Leon sighed and nodded his head.

"Yes."

"So if I cooperate, they'll see what happens to anyone who dare defies the _almighty_ King Leon of Radiant Garden," Cloud muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes lightly. "And what's in it for me?"

"How does the freedom to walk around the palace grounds without an armed escort and the freedom to go into the city as long as you have guards with you when we get back to Borealis sound?" Leon offered.

"Done."

"Good." He let go of Cloud's arms, one hand patting his shoulder. "I appreciate it."

Cloud had just shaken his head and lain back down on the bed, thinking quietly to himself that he was only doing it to get back what was rightfully his, not to help the king.

Although, he did find himself wondering if Leon found just smiling his gratitude to a person was too much to be asked for by anyone. He promptly squashed such a thought from his mind, not wanting to ponder over something so trivial that only those that really cared would think about.

The funny thing was though, Cloud actually started to realise that he was beginning to care about something that petty.

* * *

The sun was high on their third day of travelling down the River Nebra, as lone flashing white desert birds cried in the open blue sky. Cloud found himself unable to take his eyes away from that clear cloudless sky, never having seen anything like it before in his life. He didn't even hear Roxas or Tifa bounding up to him.

"Cloud."

"Hmm? Oh, Roxas, Tifa." He finally looked down, blinking a little to get used to the new angle he was looking at.

"The king requested you to put this on," Tifa reported, handing him a red and blue scarf. "Just to keep your face hidden while we go through the city. Roxas will be wearing one too, just in case."

Roxas nodded his head, putting the scarf around his head, letting it hide his hair and mouth. "Seems a bit stupid though," he muttered behind the fabric, his voice muffled.

"It's for safety's sake," Cloud sighed, putting the scarf given to him around his own head of blond spikes. "Leon already warned me about this."

"I'm surprised you're going along with this," Tifa stated in amazement.

"Hollow Bastion is the only thing separating the Archadians from Leon," Cloud muttered. "Trust me; I'm not doing it for him."

Tifa made a tutting sound, shaking her head, "You're so stubborn, you know that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means-" Tifa was stopped from saying more when a Dalmascan sailor cried out the signal for a landing. "Ah, guess it's time to go."

"Hey, you never-"

"We'll talk later. Come on Roxas. I better warn you about Sir Axel's and Sir Vossler's little rivalry."

"Rivalry? Huh?" Roxas looked confused…or at least, his eyes did. "What rivalry?"

"You're about to find out."

Cloud had just shaken his head, walking away from the edge of the ship to go and find Fenrir. He reminded himself, mantra-like, that he had to behave himself so that he would be spared from the humiliation of riding with Leon, him sitting in front of the king. Being treated like a woman in front of thousands…Cloud knew he would die of shame.

As he mounted Fenrir, Cloud looked on as the city of Rabanastre came into view, its red sandstone buildings glowing like a fire in the bright sunlight, flecked with green plants and trees that thrived under the white hot sun. The blond could only look at it in awe at the craftsmanship that had been utilized into creating its tall majestic arches and towering buildings that seemed to touch the skies with golden spires. Only one word could describe this massive masterpiece.

"…beautiful…"


	33. Rivalry

**A/N:** Aie aie aie, Chapter 33 already? Makes me wonder if I'm going to keep to my chapter limit or not now since I have so many ideas for this story! XD Truth be told, I'm actually considering opening a forum about HUS, so that everyone can throw ideas at me at what they want out of this (but I think the review board does just that anyway ahahaha)

I like to think of this chapter as the peak chapter: as in, things are going to be changing quite dramatically from here on out (i.e. I think the Demyx and Zexion angle of the story has to conclude. Demyx is a bard after all. He's got to go South for the winter like a bird!) So, what to expect from the next couple of chapters...well, a sneak preview would be: I'm going to try -TRY- to do some yuri (though I think that might be quite hard to fit in), try to get one or two more references for the 4/11 pairing, inject more characters for cameo appearances (anyone in particular? Ask me please!), use Edea more (I feel like I've abandoned her DX) and maybe get a few more flashbacks in, this time about our captives rather than our capturers (though these may turn into oneshots instead). Feel free to PM me though if there's something you wanna see (cause let's be honest, if you ask, I WILL deliver)

OK, my thanks goes to everyone this time! The list is huuuuge! And so were all the lovely anniversary messages and e-gifts so thank you so much for them! It really put a smile on my face when I got them all!

That's all for now so please read and enjoy! And review! For they are my double choc cookies!

* * *

**Rivalry**; a strong word, and yet it didn't quite seem to fit the description of the hostilities that had been shown between Axel of Aurelias and Captain Vossler York Azelas. This was how Tifa had described to Roxas as they disembarked the ship, their horses' hooves padding lightly on the sandy bank of the river. Further ahead, the king led the group to the welcoming party that awaited them.

Among the men that varied from the extremely pale to the extremely dark, two of them stood a head taller than the rest. A golden blond man with a heavy battle scar running straight across his eyebrow above dark inquisitive eyes, tanned skin from years of combat and chiselled muscle looked at the arriving party with a serious look on his face, his eyes settling on the form of the young king. He might have been in his late thirties, coming close to his early forties, with harsh wrinkles from furrowing his brow appearing on sandy skin and clothed in light cotton clothing underneath dark leather armour. Next to him was a darker, younger and broader man that wore weighty metallic plated armour, a large and heavy greatsword strapped to his back. The look in his dark, stormy eyes was being directed at Axel, whose cat-like emerald eyes were glaring at him with an intensity that Roxas had only seen a few times before in the heat of battle.

"Highness," the blond man greeted with a respectful bow, his voice raspy and harsh like a desert storm. "Welcome back to Dalmasca."

"It's good to see you again, Basch," Leon responded, a small smile on his face.

Roxas leaned across to Tifa next to him. "Basch?"

"Captain Basch Fon Ronsenburg of the Order of Knights," Tifa elaborated. "He's nicknamed 'the Kingmaker' as he's trained royalty and fought alongside with them to victory. His biggest claims to fame are that he trained the king himself, along with Sir Axel, for about two years, and also lead onto victory at the Nalbina Fortress two years ago."

Roxas blinked, looking at the imposing warrior in silent awe with large blue eyes, glad that the scarf provided to him was hiding away his slack jaw. His eyes then turned to the darker man who was still in a death glare contest with Axel. "And him?"

"Captain Vossler York Azelas, of the same Order. He's fought alongside Basch in many battles, and is generally a feared man with his wielding of that huge sword. Along with Basch, he is in charge with the Queen of Dalmasca's protection."

"So he's the one Axel has some…bad blood with?"

"Bad blood is putting it mildly," Tifa commented dryly. "Every time they ever come across each other, everything they do becomes a contest between them."

"But why is it like that?"

"Reputation, pride, maybe one or two things Axel did in his youth that annoyed Vossler beyond belief; it's a mixture of things really. The bottom line is they have just never seen eye to eye."

Roxas just shook his head, watching as the two men finally met, their eyes stuck looking at each other with stone cold eyes. Tifa nudged him on a little. "Let's get closer."

"What? Why?"

"Because we're nosy," Tifa grinned, pulling Roxas' reins along, consequently guiding his horse closer to the men. Roxas kept his head down, watching the two men interact under the watchful eyes of the king and Basch.

"Sir Axel, a _pleasure_ to see you," Vossler had said through clenched teeth.

"Likewise," Axel replied, forcing a smile onto his face. Roxas had seen it before. It was when he had been conversing with his fiancée, Larxene, and having to grin and bear with her. "I see you are well."

"Very well." Vossler's eyes had become narrow slits by this point, as if wary of what the unpredictable warrior of the moors could do. Axel's face was still smiling, and although forced, Roxas could detect there was some sort of smugness in his features. Maybe it was out of the knowledge that Vossler didn't know what the redhead's next move would be. Maybe it was just a confident front to put off the other. Roxas still hadn't quite mastered reading his lord's thoughts and feelings.

Vossler outstretched a leather gloved hand to his adversary, though it was after he noticed a rather pointed look coming from Basch. Axel received it, though he too only did it when he caught a glimpse of his old friend and master giving him a warning glance. Their hands were clasped tightly, as if they were trying to break each other's hands off, their eyes stuck in a deadlock.

Tifa next to Roxas only shook her head. "I foresee many duels and contests going on in the coming days."

Roxas could only grimace at the thought. Axel and he had only just come out of an argument. Would having a clearly angry rivalry do any good for his only just calmed mood?

* * *

Cloud had pretty much kept a low profile as they travelled through the desert towards the tall red sandstone towers, spires and arches of Rabanastre, his eyes flitting from one sight to the next. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever hoped to see something like this, and it only made him realise just how sheltered he had been when he was a prince of Hollow Bastion. He turned to look at Leon and Captain Fon Ronsenburg, who were still conversing as if they were old friends and not teacher and student. It made him wonder what exactly Leon's relationships to the Dalmascan's were like. Were the Dalmascan's dependant on Leon's presence to be absolutely sure that their historic enemies would agree to their terms? Or was it because they both had a common enemy, so they found comradeship in each other, and knew that this treaty would only benefit them both?

He didn't know. But he assumed he would find out during this trip. So deep in his thoughts, Cloud hadn't realised that Leon had been looking at him. A Dalmascan soldier who had been walking alongside him tapped his leg quickly, making the concubine nearly jump. "What?"

"The king's calling for you," the youth replied. The Dalmascan soldier seemed quite young, maybe not yet even eighteen, with pale hair and skin, and eyes that were grey in colour with flecks of green and amber fanning out from the pupils. He wore the standard leather uniform of the Dalmascan armour with steel plating, though he opted not to wear the steel helmet.

"Thanks." Cloud nodded his head to the young soldier before riding over to Leon, looking at him quizzically behind the scarf that hid his face. "What is it?"

"Keep close," Leon muttered. "Archadians are roaming the streets like pack animals."

"You're worried I'll go running to them?"

"I'm more worried what they will do to you if you want me to be honest."

"You needn't worry. Give me a weapon and I can protect myself."

"If I do that, you'll give everyone travelling with us a heart attack," Leon smirked. "You're still public enemy number one even if your popularity is starting to rise."

Cloud gave him a hard glare behind his scarf, looking away and falling back into the crowd. He saw Leon just shake his head, almost in mock-despair, which only made Cloud fume even more.

Such anger was quickly dispelled though when the tall iron gates of Rabanastre opened and allowed the royal parade in, crowds of people lining the streets to greet the king of the moor lands and his people. Behind the disguise, Cloud could only gulp. He was more used to the enclosed small cities and castles like Aurea and Hollow Bastion. A citadel at a large scale such as this made him feel a bit small, and a bit insecure as it meant more nameless faces that would surround him.

But then again, he never truly knew other people during his time in Hollow Bastion, and he only really got to know the names of people around the royal household recently. But still, it didn't help his nerves. After the few assassination attempts on his and Leon's life, the fact that a would-be assassin could be watching them in the crowd made him uneasy.

Quickly after having this thought, Cloud started telling himself off for worrying about his most _**hated**_ –_**HATED**_– enemy. He could care less if Leon died right now…

Right?

* * *

Roxas had found himself riding alongside Axel just a short while before the troupe had entered into Rabanastre, knowing that Axel was still pretty moody about having to be around Captain Azelas. For now, Roxas could tell this was the best time to take an interest in the surroundings, looking at the darker-skinned, -eyed and -haired peasantry that had arrived _en mass_ to gawk at the 'barbarians from the moors'. He began to wonder why a minority of the lower class soldiers were so pale though, considering he had been told that in Dalmascan culture, being pale tends to mean that one person was of a high status. He would have asked Tifa, who seemed to know more about the world than any normal servant would, but she had been forced to follow with the rest of the servants that had come with the king while he was pretty much hassled to the front with Axel.

"What do you think of it?" Axel suddenly asked him, nearly spooking Roxas.

"It's…interesting," Roxas replied, not sure how else to put his thoughts into words. That first night on the river had still been running through his mind, the young blond unable to understand what had made Axel hold him like that. As if he were…he were…

A lover, a voice in Roxas' head had smirked victoriously. It only made the youth blush furiously at the thought, ultimately glad that the scarf was hiding his face away from the world. It was impossible! For one, although Axel had made it no secret he would have nothing to do with her if he had the choice, he was engaged to Larxene. For another, he had always been told that taking part in such unholy acts with another man would only end up with him burning in Hell. And for another-

"Something wrong?" Axel asked, quirking a quizzical brow at him.

"N-Nothing," Roxas stammered, looking away. "Nothing at all."

"You can't lie to me Roxas. What is-"

Axel was cut off when screeches of "Stop! Thieves!" and "Catch them!" echoed in the streets, and the crowd gasped as two children ran in front of the king, causing Griever to get spook and almost throw Leon off. Following after them were two men dressed in white and armoured in silver, reaching to grab the two pale youths in the muted coloured clothing that was worn by Dalmascan peasantry. Two of the Dalmascan soldiers, one that Roxas recognised had been walking alongside Cloud a while ago while the other was wearing his helmet to hide his face, snatched them away, the soldier not wearing his helmet holding the young boy by his ear. The girl that had been running away from the silver and white clad men hid behind the helmeted soldier, a bit fearful. Axel rode up, beckoning for Roxas to follow.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Leon demanded, glaring at the two silver-armoured men with deep contempt.

"That boy," one of them growled, pointing to the pale youth, "stole from us."

"Vaan," the soldier holding the boy hissed, clearly annoyed. The boy tried to answer back but the soldier merely twisted his ear painfully to silence him. Basch came in between the two groups, bowing politely to the soldiers.

"Apologies. What has been stolen will be returned and compensated for."

The boy –who Roxas guessed was called Vaan– seemed to open his mouth in protest, but was once again stopped by the soldier that held him, sulkily handing back what looked like a purse to the silver-armoured men before being let loose into the crowd with the young girl again. Axel had watched the event unfold in stone-faced silence, though the look in his eyes said his true feelings on the matter.

Once it had all calmed down, Axel voiced those feelings so quietly that only Roxas could barely hear. "I hate Archadians."

* * *

The atmosphere was heavy after Leon had his group were greeted by the Queen of Dalmasca and her consort, Prince Rasler Heois of House Nabradia; all due thanks to the other person that had greeted them a little time after; Vayne Carudas of House Solidor.

Cloud had met Vayne once before. It was three years ago, on a trip to Archades accompanying his oldest brother. They had only gone as far as the border that they shared with the Archadian Empire, seeing as Hollow Bastion and the Empire were only starting talks on an alliance and things were still shaky. Cloud had thought Vayne to be quite an impressive man, having already had a number of military victories under his belt, rooted out a pair of treacherous brothers that were planning to usurp the Archadian throne, and a seemingly fair disposition towards his own people, though the then fifteen-year-old had pretty much stayed silent throughout the whole trip as it was 'matters that didn't concern young princes'. Now that Cloud had thought about it, maybe it was best that he didn't actually converse with Vayne.

If he had, he may have been saying a few choice words to Leon, who clearly had a rather negative view of Vayne of House Solidor. However, the king of Radiant Garden was not alone in his dislike for Archadians; it seemed the whole of Dalmasca would rather be rid of them than be making peace with them, so much so that Axel and Sir Vossler seemed to be putting their rivalry aside for now in shared aversion for a common enemy. Not even the Dalmascan's own queen was overly fond of this treaty, Cloud having heard from gossiping servants that Queen Ashelia had commented on how much she hoped that they could get on with the treaty so that she didn't have to host such 'boorish and brainless hooligans'.

Cloud had to admit he could see why the queen was getting fed up. The Archadian soldiers acted like pigs when off duty, but were absolute bullies to everyone that was under them. Even Tifa was becoming a target for some particularly lewd remarks. She just ignored them, cursing under her breath when she was out of earshot of them. Cloud couldn't believe such behaviour was being allowed by their leader. Though, he would be lying if he were to say that he had jumped in to help one or two maids from getting harassed. He was still under strict orders to lie low, so even though he had wanted to maim one or two Archadian soldiers for making a comment on Tifa's sizeable bosom, he restrained himself.

That didn't mean that he hadn't once or twice spat into an Archadian soldier's meal in the privacy of the kitchen when he was helping Tifa out while no one was looking (or at least, while everyone was turning a blind eye to it). Cloud knew he was at risk though. To the Archadians, he was simply a servant that could be bullied, not Leon of House Leonhart's concubine. Therefore, any abuse of Cloud that the king caught wind of was going to be dealt with swiftly, and most of the time violently.

It was Cloud's hope that they could avoid it. Even he knew how important this peace treaty was to everyone. It meant that the Archadian Empire would have to stay to their eastern conquered land instead of going further west and risk going head to head with the smaller but resilient kingdoms that Dalmasca and the smaller empire of Radiant Garden had proven to be. And for worried monarchs and people who didn't want to see any more bloodshed, this would be enough.

For now, Cloud had thought pessimistically. He had a hunch something was going to happen. All he could hope was that Roxas would keep his nose clean while socialising within the higher circles of status.

* * *

Axel's mood had been progressively getting worse throughout the day, Roxas concluded, watching him brood on the balcony overlooking the royal citadel of Rabanastre. Vossler had mentioned something that Axel was a bit tetchy about, very much obliterating the small alliance they had grudgingly formed in the face of a common foe. When asked, Axel just grumbled, "Thinks I can't run my lands…dumb oaf…"

Roxas could only shake his head, tentatively taking a few steps toward the redheaded warrior. "Um, Axel?"

"What?" Axel barked, then immediately looking regretful for his exaggerated reaction. Roxas didn't really flinch…much.

"Would you like to take a walk with me tomorrow? You know…outside the palace?"

Axel blinked for a long while…then smiled and ruffled Roxas' hair. "I'd be honoured." It was almost as if the curse that was Axel's fiery temper had been lifted, revealing the more laid back if somewhat puzzling personality Roxas had been far more used to. And for once, Roxas was glad for it. It made him feel a bit more protected; safe; maybe even…

Needed, that smarmy voice cackled in his head. Roxas was hesitant to deny it though, mostly because, knowing that he was needed felt really good.

* * *

With a loud thud, Cloud had been shoved to the floor, his scarf falling away to reveal his face. It was to be expected though.

It was the final straw for Cloud when one arrogant Archadian soldier had once again commented about how he was going to grab Tifa and force her into bed. In response, Cloud had 'accidentally' thrown wine all over him.

"You clumsy bastard!" the Archadian bellowed, grabbing Cloud by the scruff of his neck. "How was that an accident?!"

"My hand slipped," Cloud retorted, eyeing him very evenly. He saw the soldier's hand being raised to hit him, mentally preparing himself for it while the group with them jeered at the blond and encouraged the soldier. It would be a new experience for Cloud, since he never really was hit by Leon. A whip, sure, but never a fist.

"Take two steps away from my concubine," a deep growl ordered from behind them. Cloud chanced a look and saw it was indeed Leon standing there, eyes blazing with anger. The Archadian immediately let go as if he had been holding a hot coal, looking at the blond in shock. Cloud did the only sensible thing at this moment and walked over to Leon, knowing it would be far safer with him than it would be around the group. He had seen the ugly side of Leon's temper. He didn't want to be on the receiving end of it –but he had no doubt that he would get some of it later on. The king looked at him. "Are you hurt?"

Cloud shook his head. "Might get a bruise, but that's all." The blond decided it was time for some payback. "I'm worried about Tifa and all the other maids that came with us though. They kept saying they were going to forcibly have sex with them when they least expected it."

If Cloud was right, Leon would react to this, being the kind of person who would protect another before saving himself. The concubine was right. "Oh they did, did they?" That cruel calculating smile that Cloud hadn't seen for a while appeared slowly. It gave Cloud the absolute shivers of guilt, dread and -oddly enough- delight to see it. Leon looked at them with that gaze that was just glinting with that cruel streak of his. "You will all be reporting to Lord Solidor about your behaviour and the fact that I am taking the liberty of punishing you as I see fit. You can also tell him that he can add further punishment if he so wishes. For now, I want you all to take over my servants' duties instead. They are tired after all so they deserve the rest. Oh, and I expect you to do an overnight and all day guard duty with minimum rations. Am I clear?"

"Yes your highness," they all chorused, looking at the young king in a mixture of relief and total uncertainty. They had gotten off lightly. They knew that. If they had been Leon's own people, he may have been harsher.

"Good. Now get out of my sight," Leon barked, watching the Archadians dash off, tails between their legs. Cloud knew that it was his turn now. "What on earth did you do?"

Cloud didn't answer straight away, noticing that hard glint was staring at him expectantly, and that it wanted the truth. "I…threw wine over one of them."

Instead of being reprimanded, Leon had just sighed and shook his head in despair. "What on earth am I going to do with you?"

"Give me back Hollow Bastion?" Cloud suggested.

"Don't push your luck Cloud. I'm not in_ that_ generous a mood."

"That was generous? You looked like you were about to murder them!"

Cloud let out a startled gasp when Leon had suddenly taken hold of his chin and made him look into his eyes, those same storm-coloured eyes showing something that was a little softer than their usual cold spark. "Anyone who hurts you will get murdered," Leon said in a soft yet heated tone. "I can vouch for that."

It was in that moment Cloud had realised something. It was something Cloud had never thought could happen in his lifetime of growing up to hate the Leonharts.

Whatever rivalry the Strifes and Leonharts had seemed to have been swept away by the tides of time, into the past where it could be safely kept away for some child to look at during history lessons. Now…

Now, Cloud wasn't so sure what the future had in store for them. He had been told that it was really the Jenova family that had killed his family; what else was there to not tell him that Leonharts and Strifes could work together?

"Come."

"Huh? To where?"

"My room."


	34. Guilt

**A/N:** -dies- This is probably the longest chapter I have ever written. Exactly 6,535 words, 76 KB and 5 days of my life (of three of them I couldn't get to work due to a freak Russian snowstorm that somehow found its way to the southeast of England and icy roads that the gritters seem to have forgotten about (i.e. the country lane I live on)). Holey Moley -faints-

Well, I know I will probably get a bit of disappointed sighs up and down across the world, but this chapter is dedicated not to the implied Cleon action that is to happen (that's next chapter. Promise ;) )but to the couples we forgot (Zemyx and Soriku). This would be the "official" filler chapter (in the sense that it just is filling in three of the days that Leon, Cloud and company spent in the Dalmascan desert) but then again, some pretty important things do happen.

Alright! My thanks goes to in this order (from most recent review to earliest review): bliss, Dust to Dusk, K/C916 (and thanks for recommending me!), Black Wolfess, icEbLuE20, EriNicoleAndUKnowIt, MadeInHolland, hollowFAERIE, Quietshade, Izzy-Lawliet, CaCoPhOnY Of ScReAmS, Uchiha Sasha, chibibabe07 (I do ;) ), ObSeSsEd WiTh ROXAS, Paper Kettle, -Anonymous Insanity- (and I'm acting upon the insinuation. Soon!), Shadow Cat17, Empress Satori, Yoru no Kuronue, The Picture of Dorian Grey, Aindel S. Druida (I know just the job for our favourite skypirate!), Billie the fourth sage, xeikm, Chocola Emo Shizzle, PirataNoctis, Ebil Chameleon and Lil Tanuki. Please keep reading and reviewing you guys! For reviews are my mini double choc muffins!

(Oh yes, and don't worry, I'm not splitting Zemyx up! I'm not that cruel!)

**

* * *

**

**Guilt **was the one thing that Sora was feeling as they came into the citadel of Borealis, Riku still having to be carried along on a stretcher since his wound hadn't properly healed. It only worsened when a near hysterical Edea came out to greet them, pulling the prince into a tight embrace and refusing to let go for several moments. And it further worsened when Zexion and Kiros had both scolded Sora for being careless and for doing a reckless thing such as running away from his captors. Riku was praised for following, but reprimanded for putting himself and the prince in danger. He got off lightly considering he was still injured and still at risk of infection, so needed to be cared for instead of running around following his young charge.

What hadn't helped the matter of Sora's feelings towards the whole scenario was that Vexen had ordered for Riku to be kept in the servants' infirmary, and Zexion with the help of Edea had introduced a far tougher schedule for the prince to live by, meaning there was little time for Sora to see Riku.

Thus this was why the guards were running around like headless chickens trying to find the young heir to the throne that had mysteriously gone missing again. Though in fact, they needn't have gone far at all.

"You're going to have to go back, my prince," Riku sighed wearily, having a tinge of fevered pink colouring his cheeks. The poor servant had caught a fever on their travels from the borders, it only having taken affect until recently. "Otherwise they'll think you've been kidnapped again."

"I can't believe you're acting so calm about this," Sora whispered, not quite looking at Riku in the face. Guilt, Sora had found out, made you very shy around the people he felt had gotten hurt because of mistakes made on his part.

"I'm trained for that kind of scenario," Riku replied, looking up at the ceiling. "I'm prepared for the worst."

"But you got hurt because of me!" Sora declared shrilly, clearly getting frustrated about Riku just not blaming him or hitting him or get angry at him. "You're supposed to be angry at me! Why aren't you?!"

"To err is human," Riku murmured, closing his eyes. Sora looked at him, blinking a little. "To forgive is divine." Riku looked at him and very slowly smiled. "Were you never taught that saying, my prince?"

Sora said nothing, looking down at the floor instead of looking at Riku. "No but…" He paused. "…I don't deserve your forgiveness."

"I have nothing to forgive, my prince. I was trained to protect whoever is in my charge at all costs so I was doing what I was supposed to do. The one who you need to beg forgiveness from is yourself."

There were sounds of clinking armour and weapons and voices calling out to the young prince. Riku shook his head, looking at Sora. "You should go. They're worried about you."

Sora nodded his head stiffly, with a heavy heart standing up and turning to leave. "I…I hope you get better soon."

"I will," Riku smiled. "I don't die easily." And although Sora knew the sentiment was meant to reassure him, it hadn't. Far from it.

* * *

Zexion was finding it difficult to get the quill in his right hand to move. In the sanctuary of the castle library, he thought he could get some much needed work done before the young prince decided to show his face again. Zexion wasn't worried too much about him. He knew Sora; that boy was far more worried about the well-being of his servant than anything else. What was distracting him though…was the sound of the sitar that echoed on the small balcony attached to library, meant for readers to use during the warmer days of the year.

"Demyx…you're mad for using the balcony now at this time of year," Zexion sighed, looking at the bard that was playing a strong quick melodious song from his southern island home. It stopped after Zexion had said that single sentence, making the small advisor wish he had not said it. He would never admit it, but hearing Demyx play had become a favourite diversion from the rest of the world.

"This time of year has just as much happening as any other time of year," the bard mused, looking into the gardens that had turned into shades of crimson, gold and rich mahogany. "In autumn, the colours change and the wind becomes more playful. The leaves dance in the air as they fall to the ground and the crops produce food for the people. It's magical."

Zexion walked over to the bard, looking out to the view as well. "I guess when you put it that way…"

"You can see it, can't you," Demyx chuckled, looking up at him with those sparkling turquoise eyes. Zexion refused to look at him though, not wanting the bard to see that he was having an effect on him. Demyx just shook his head. "For someone who has a vast knowledge of the workings of nature as well as politics, you certainly are blind to the true wonder of nature."

"I'm not blind. I just…didn't notice."

"You don't notice a lot of things, Zexion."

Zexion pursed his lips, closing his eyes as he fought away frustration building up. "Demyx…please."

"Take the prince for example. You know that all he wants is to make sure that that servant of his is fine, and not by being told by Vexen or one of his medics. You know that, and yet you're determined to confine him to a schedule of lessons."

"I have to. It's the only way to make sure he's safe," Zexion snapped.

"By keeping him in this castle like you keep a little songbird in a cage?"

"Well what would you do? He's a boy who gets very sick, the only heir to a throne while the king delays the inevitability of marriage, and is the constant target of all sorts of plots when it is not his brother. What would you do?"

"Don't treat him like he's some fragile flower. He's a boy. If he becomes king, he needs to be strong and capable. He won't become that if you continue to coddle him the way all of you are."

"But it's for his protection!"

"You couldn't do much when he was captured, could you?" Demyx replied calmly, quirking an eyebrow at him. "I may not know much about politics Zexion, but a king's got to have the ability to speak out above the others so that his say doesn't become drowned out in a crowd of squabbling lords and advisors, as well as motivate his troops and people. No one likes a puppet king, much least like one who can't even fight for his own side. You know that."

Zexion kept a stubborn silence, his hands curling and uncurling into balls. If there was anything Zexion hated more in the world, it was being shown where the logic of his master plans seemed to have failed.

"If you ask me, why don't you raise Sora in the same way your king was raised, as a knight or a soldier?"

"You think that will be the solution to our problems?" Zexion questioned.

"To that problem, _aam_. To the problem between us, _maa_." Demyx stood up from the floor, standing that full head taller than Zexion and turning to the shorter man. "I know that you're still upset with me, and yet you still won't tell me what troubles you so much. _Kimartham_?"

"Why?" Zexion echoed, letting his hands rest against the stone balustrade. "If I say what it is, I'm afraid of what the reaction will be."

"_Kimartham_?" Demyx repeated, speaking in his native tongue rather than the language spoken by all nations.

"I'm supposed to be calm and collected, never even blinking in the face of danger. And here I am now getting swept away by emotions I thought I had locked in my mind…and it's all your fault." Zexion almost jumped out of his skin when he felt Demyx's arms slide around his waist like the vines of the ivy plant, keeping him still and trapped against the Bhujerban bard's body. His own pride as a highly trusted advisor was all that kept Zexion from gasping in shock, or blushing from feeling the heat coming from Demyx's barely covered body.

"Not all my fault, Zexion. It's yours as well."

And that was the one fact Zexion didn't want to face: that he was partly to blame for the breakdown of the cold callous walls he had built around his soul and heart so that he couldn't allow others to see the pain he had been going through. That he was the one that had gotten himself angry and frustrated around a bard that seemed to contradict everything that Zexion stood for. "Yes…maybe you're right…"

"Now there's something I don't hear everyday."

"Don't push it Demyx!" Zexion struggled in his hold but Demyx had the grip of a monkey around him, refusing to let him go. "Demyx, please…let go of me."

"_Maa_," Demyx responded, turning him around suddenly and catching his lips with his own, shocking the advisor to the point where he couldn't move at all, or even find the strength to breathe. In a moment like this, Zexion found himself facing a few emotions he had been loath to accept, yet Demyx had fully acknowledged them.

Demyx pulled away slowly, letting Zexion release the breath he had been holding. "Do you hate it when I kiss you?" Demyx asked, being straightforward as always.

Zexion couldn't find the words to respond, opting to just looking away. Demyx sighed, shaking his head. "I guess so," he muttered forlornly.

"The prince will be coming soon," the advisor stated, avoiding the entire conversation. "I don't want you disturbing him."

"Zexion…"

"Out!" Zexion yelled sharply, staring at him with that ice cold stare he had perfected over the years. He was expecting Demyx to just roll his eyes, shake his head and leave muttering something about him being in love with a banshee (what manner of man used such a small yet powerful word so freely?!) Instead, he saw a dejected look on the bard's face and for once he was silent as he gathered up his sitar, leaving the room without a word or even a glance at the advisor. It unnerved him. He wasn't used to seeing this side of Demyx.

"Maybe…I've been a bit harsh on him," Zexion murmured to himself. "I'll apologise to him later."

Little did he know that Fate was going to test him on the matters of his heart and just how much his lack of an answer for the bard's question had affected him.

* * *

Two days on, Sora had noticed a dramatic change in the rigorous schedule. He seemed to be seeing less of Zexion and more of other tutors who could teach him more practical skills such as fighting and surviving on his own. And now, he was being allowed to see other people outside of the small circle he had been barred to venture out, though it was only members of court that had been deemed as unworthy to speak to the young boy for reasons only known to Zexion and a few others. He had yet to venture out into the town on his own, like Leon had done countless times before in his childhood ("After we decided he could be trusted to go out alone and not cause a stir that is," Edea had remarked.)

What bothered Sora was that he was not allowed to see Riku, who was still being kept in bed according to other servants. Why was everyone so desperate to keep them apart?

Kiros could see that the poor boy seemed to be becoming more and more miserable rather than happier as Zexion had hoped for. As the head of two kings' households and having known the Leonhart brothers since they were mere newborns, the darkly coloured man had a canny understanding of both of their body language. When Sora was slouched and seemed to be paying attention more than usual, that meant the young boy was either upset or sulking over something. Similarly, if Leon was holding silences for long periods of time or scratching the scar that crossed over the bridge of his nose, it meant he was getting annoyed. So seeing Sora slouching over the window ledge, flicking at imaginary stones could only make Kiros chuckle knowingly.

"You still worried about Riku then?" Kiros asked, looking down at the young boy affectionately.

"I just don't see why I can't see him. It's not like he's done something wrong."

"Well, he does have a count for horse thievery despite saving you, which has to be taken account of. I'm sure you know our laws."

"Do you think…Leon will…?"

"Your brother won't. You have to trust his sense of justice." Kiros looked down. "You remember the story about Sir Axel and his marks, right?"

"I know but…Riku's not a knight or some well-bred numpty."

"Where on earth did you learn that word?!"

"…Captivity?"

"Don't let Lady Edea catch you saying it. She's had it up to her ears with all this Trabian swearing," Kiros sighed, putting a palm to his eyes in despair. Now they had a prince with a mouth that was beginning to learn words less than savoury. Wonderful. Sora only sighed even heavier, pointing a finger at the sky and attempting to poke at the distant clouds. Kiros had an idea what could cheer him up…but he knew that it would be his head if anyone caught wind that it was at his prompting Sora had done it. "What if I told you there was a possibility of you getting out for a moment or so?"

Sora immediately perked up at the thought. "Really?"

"I heard Lady Kairi came to visit you, but since your schedule has limited your visits she's been seeing Lady Naminé," Kiros said, not quite looking at Sora. "In fact, I heard that Lady Naminé is coming over to take Lady Kairi out into town."

"Thanks Kiros!"

"For what, my prince?" Kiros smiled, walking away slowly. It was up to Sora if he wanted to take it up or not. Though he had a feeling the prince would go for it. He would have to hope that Lady Kairi had kept up her training. Doubtless that she hadn't done something as stupid as that while her brother was absent.

To the ignorant eye, it would've looked like a picturesque scene: a young blonde girl, not yet even sixteen, being escorted around by a red-haired boy in the castle of the same age, talking and laughing. Someone might have been forgiven for thinking they were betrothed, and were the lucky ones who got along with each other.

* * *

To the knowledgeable eye, they would've known it was two girls they were looking at, since Kairi of Aurelias had somewhat of a reputation for ditching dresses for practical tunics and trousers, much to the dismay of the ladies of the court. It was also a well known fact that, other than being good friends with the crown prince, Kairi was also good friends with Naminé of House Fulmine, who was the sister of Lady Larxene, Axel's fiancée.

"So what should we do in market today?" Naminé asked. It was often said her voice was like that of an angel; soft and gentle, almost verging on inaudible. She was clothed in a pure white tunic dress that accentuated her pale skin, belted with twisted rope of golden thread and her long blonde hair decorated with a net of gold thread, pearls and small white flowers sitting atop her head.

"I think I might get something for the prince. To cheer him up. I heard that he's been pretty upset about his servant getting hurt."

"Maybe a charm to help the healing process?"

"Don't think so. Knowing the prince, he'll rather give the charm to his servant then risk having someone take it on his behalf and it never getting delivered." Kairi suddenly yelped, nursing the back of her head and glaring over her shoulder.

"What is it Kairi?" Naminé asked.

"Something hit my head."

"But I don't see…" Naminé trailed off, seeing that there was a door slightly open, a small hand keeping it still. Kairi noticed it too and went to investigate, more to scold the person for hiding away if they weren't the culprit that attacked her defenceless head.

"Alright, who do you think you are by sneakin— my prince?!"

"Shhh shhh!" Sora shushed from behind the door, pulling the hood over his head more. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Why?"

"I want to go into town with you and Naminé."

"You're sneaking out?"

"Well, yes. Can I please come with you two?" Sora begged. Naminé had joined them, curious as to who was behind the door. Kairi seemed to ponder on this.

"Well," she drawled, looking like she was enjoying the small amount of power over the prince, "I _could_ let you come with us, but I _could_ get into trouble for assisting you in your escape."

"I'll say that I lied and told you I could come out," Sora offered.

"It's a bargain," Kairi grinned, letting the prince get out of the room he was hiding in. "Come on. Keep your hood up."

* * *

During the past two days, Zexion had found himself being notified often by the means of messenger pigeon on the progress of the king's journey to the Dalmascan royal city. Today, they were expected to reach Rabanastre, much to the advisor's relief. Though it only did little to soothe the worries he was starting to form.

For a start, Demyx hadn't come to pester him as he usually would do. And although Zexion found it most enjoyable to work in peace, it eventually began to unnerve him. He'd hate to admit it, but he was used to having Demyx hanging over his shoulder, going on about how much he adored him or apologising for things he didn't know he was doing.

Thus, Zexion was going around asking if anyone had seen the bard. Answers varied from "Sorry milord, I haven't seen him recently" to "I thought I saw him heading out today, milord", but no real details that he could act upon. For 'heading out' could mean anything; going to town, just going out into the grounds, leaving Borealis…

He felt a painful twinge at that last likelihood. If Demyx really had left…would he ever come back? And if he did come back, would things go back the way they were? Part of him refused to believe the bard would leave with something being left in the way their relationship was. Demyx just was not the type to leave things unresolved…

Wasn't he?

The more Zexion thought about it, the more it made him feel uneasy. He had to find him, just to make sure things were settled between them. Because even if Demyx was the type of person to leave something unresolved and disappear for months and months until it blew over, Zexion was nothing like _that_.

"Excuse me," Zexion stopped a passing guard that had been coming from the main gateway into the castle bailey. "Have you seen the bard?"

"Demyx?" the guard blinked, seeming to think carefully. "Oh…he went through the gate this morning. Told us that the road was calling for him again or some other gobbledegook."

"Did he say where he went?" the advisor demanded suddenly, unable to believe that Demyx was leaving.

"Err lemme see…I think he said he was heading Balamb ways, then catch a boat to Wutai and from there go back to Bhujerba."

"Thank you." Without a moment's hesitation, Zexion sped out. If Demyx had left this morning, that would mean he might have stopped in town for some supplies before heading onwards to Balamb's port town, which meant he might only have left the citadel walls by now.

There was just no way in the seven pits of Hell that Zexion was going to let their troubles end like this. Absolutely not like this!

* * *

Borealis was home to the hustle and bustle of a large city, filled with the sounds of market stall owners bellowing the prices of their wares, livestock crying, snorting, clucking and calling as they were sold off to butchers and cooks alike to be slaughtered and prepared for meals and sales later on that day, children playing in the streets and causing general trouble for some of the public. The air was scented with the smell of nuts being roasted over a tamed fire, raw meat from the butcher shops, bread just freshly baked from the bakers and one or two open sewers that ran along in the alleyways, home to strays and beggars alike. To Naminé and Kairi, this wasn't something they were unused to, since Kairi complained about the smell from the sewers while Naminé just curled her nose in disgust. To Sora, this was an entirely new experience for him which he enjoyed immensely, bounding around almost like a small puppy that had just been taken on its first walk in a field.

"Sora, calm down," Kairi hissed, having to refer to the prince by his name since she didn't want to attract attention to them, much to Sora's delight. Naminé had been struggling with not calling Sora by his title, so had tried to avoid using both title and name as much as possible.

"I can't help it. The closest I've ever been to coming to town like this was with my brother years ago."

Kairi just rolled her eyes, making sure he stuck close to her. "Act natural. If people see you getting this excited, they'll start to get suspicious."

Sora wasn't really paying attention though, having been distracted by the caged chickens that were clucking angrily at passer-by's while their capturer was arguing with a man wearing a bloodstained apron, the tools of his trade hanging out in the apron's front pocket.

"So what do you want to buy for Riku?" Naminé asked, narrowly missing a milk-maid in high platformed clogs that kept her long dress from trailing in the mud and dirt of the street; a solution of footwear shared by all the women in all the kingdoms, with exception to Trabians who shortened their skirts so that their ankles were showing.

"Not sure yet," Sora responded cheerfully, taking a huge whiff of the small of the roasted nuts that were being sold by a red-faced middle-aged man, tempted to buy some as a snack. "Do all the commoners eat roasted nuts?"

"Sora, focus you lazy bum," Kairi growled, grabbing the prince by the back of the neck and pulling him away.

"Kai_ri_! That hurts!"

"And they say you're getting trained as a knight!" Kairi scoffed, looking around for Naminé and spotting her at a jewellery stall. He strode over, a slightly flailing Sora in her wake. "What are you looking at Naminé?"

"Oh, just rings," Naminé smiled, picking a pewter one with a sole red stone embedded into the metal. "I've lost one of mine, so I thought I'd buy a new one to replace it."

"Couldn't you have asked your servants if they had seen it?"

"You know that my family would accuse them of stealing if one of them admitted to seeing it. Besides, it's not like the one I lost was special to me."

"How on earth were you born into such a family?" Kairi sighed, shaking her head. House Fulmine had a bit of a reputation as being the most unpleasant people in the kingdom, with Larxene thought of as the worst of the bunch.

"My mother is nice enough. Or at least, that's what I've been told," Naminé smiled, although it was tinged with a bit of sadness. Naminé's mother died when she was very young due to a sickness that made her cough up blood. Very few spoke of her, though Naminé was often compared to her. She picked up another ring, this time a silvery one with a small azure stone fixed in it. "Do you think this one is nice?"

Sora was looking at the rings too, though not interested in the girls' discussion. He smiled a little as he espied a matching pair. "Excuse me sir, I'd like to have these."

A stall owner, a large portly man that looked far older than he truly was, came over, looking at the two rings and then nodding his head. "That will be two silver ingots please."

The boy nodded, reaching into his pouch and taking out two silver ingots, shaped into small balls. The stall owner smiled, clearly happy that he hadn't needed to haggle. Earlier on, some Bhujerban peacock with a strange elongated lute had tried to buy supplies from his neighbouring stall with Bhujerban bronze ingots that were cylinder shaped, atypical of Bhujerban currency. Needless to say, the Bhujerban got his way, smiling disarmingly as he thanked him in a flowery fashion, before muttering something that they couldn't understand at all. Damn foreigners… "Thank you for your purchase."

"You're welcome," Sora smiled brightly, taking the rings and dropping them into his pouch. The girls bought rings too; pewter, one with a garnet and the other with a turquoise stone. They continued on their small excursion through the market after making their purchases, Sora noticeably a little bit calmer than he had been before hand.

Though Kairi still had to scold Sora for being too excitable.

* * *

Zexion was almost out of breath as he searched frantically through the market place, apologising sometimes if Illusion almost trodden on someone's foot in his race to find Demyx. A few market stall owners had affirmed that they had seen a Bhujerban with a sitar ("large lute"; "overgrown lute"; "club-like instrument") walking around, a handful of them grumbling about getting persuaded to take Bhujerban ingots when the only use they had was to melt them down into Radiant Garden ingots. It was the best of ten minutes when a kindly stall owner selling pots revealed that the Bhujerban everyone had seen had gone down to the road that would take him to Balamb, confirming Zexion's fears. Giving the dun mare a sharp squeeze, Zexion cantered through the market, spooking some of the livestock and earning himself a yelling from angry peddlers.

None of this mattered to him though. Not while Demyx was his concern.

* * *

Demyx sighed again, looking up at the crisp blue autumnal sky, bells jingling as he walked. He couldn't say he didn't try to sort things out with Zexion, but something was very off about the advisor. The bard was used to putting up with the verbal abuse, and even started to look at some of the insults as terms of endearment, but Zexion had been far colder than usual. Demyx scratched his head a little, moving his loosely bound turban lightly.

True that he hadn't said goodbye last time and left with barely a word, but that was because he got a message from a family member in Bhujerba that something was amiss. As a Bhujerban, family came before himself, but as a bard he had to answer the call of the road, even if it meant rarely going back home. That's why he didn't really talk much about his family, or even write to them (a little known fact that he made sure that very few knew, and a skill he barely used since he was travelling and singing a lot of the time). In this case, just a few weeks before coming to Radiant Garden last year, he had decided to check in with his family, just before seeing Zexion, as he always did. This resulted in a message via messenger pigeon announcing the trouble at home and spurred the bard into action.

Maybe he had forgotten about Zexion's detest about not being told things in the spur of the moment, and maybe he should have told him but…well, Demyx didn't like his two different lives mixing. If his family caught wind that he had a _male_ lover, they might think of it as shameful but he was more worried about the consequences of being found it for Zexion. His reputation would be in ruins! And Demyx knew that if that happened, the advisor would only exile himself into the wilds; Zexion said so himself after they were found out by Axel and the king by accident. For the bard, the thought of not seeing Zexion was too much to bear, which was why he was always careful when he wanted to show affection for the smaller man, even if it seemed that he wasn't.

He sat down on the side of the road, putting his sitar down next to him and pondered over the situation. He wondered if Zexion had noticed he was gone. He doubted it; Zexion seemed to have made it clear he was bored of Demyx, or had had enough of his "hare-brained" antics. The bard wouldn't blame him if that was indeed the case. If he was in Zexion's shoes, he would've felt the same way and acted similarly to Zexion.

"Demyx!"

The bard jumped, looking back to Borealis to see someone he didn't think he'd seen. "Zexion?"

The advisor's horse skidded to a halt, the mare's master almost flying off her as he dismounted. He stood in front of him, looking flushed in the cheeks from riding around trying to find the bard, breathing a little bit laboured. Demyx slowly rose to his feet, blinking in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"If you're going to leave," Zexion struggled, partly due to his own emotions, and partly because he was out of breath, "could you at least have the courtesy to say goodbye."

Demyx only smiled, bringing the smaller man into an embrace that he expected to be rejected. Instead, Zexion returned the gesture, tightly. "I thought you were beginning to hate me," Demyx whispered.

"Idiotic peacock," Zexion muttered, his voice muffled since his face was pressed against Demyx's shoulder.

"Then why were you so mad at me?"

"…lous…"

"What?"

"I was jealous, alright! You have a problem with that?! I only see you once a year but how do I know if what you say is true?! How the hell am I supposed to know if I mean nothing to you?! If I don't mean anything to you, then please stop doing what you always do when you come here because it's making me become into something I've worked hard not to become!"

For Zexion to explode like this was a commodity in itself. But Demyx knew that this was Zexion after a whole year of bottling up the hurt and rejection that he must've felt when he left suddenly without a word that one year. If he was jealous…did Zexion think he had other lovers in different countries?

The bard shook his head. "What happened in the past, I had my reasons for going without saying goodbye to you. But my reasons for coming here, every year without fail, remains the same." He pulled Zexion's face up by the chin, smiling in that serene knowing way that he knew just frustrated Zexion even more. "There's only one person in the world I would be with if I had to choose, who I'd run to if they were in trouble…and that's you Zexion." He leant down, pressing his mouth to Zexion's, revelling in the scent of musky old tomes and green pine that was just in essence of the smaller man. Zexion responded by opening his lips slowly, shuddering in Demyx's hold, fingers slowly clutching to the crisp white patterned fabric that was draped around the bard's body. To this, Demyx delved his tongue in, coaxing the other to dance with his, his own hands sliding down the advisor's body as if playing the strings of a lute, playing out a soft quiet moan from the slate-haired man. They had to pull away though as they could never share the same breath for too long, panting in the sweet burning atmosphere as the oriental scent of soma and lotus mixed with the woody scents of pine and rosewood.

"I…do need to leave though," Demyx whispered.

"I know," Zexion murmured back. "It's the path you chose. I won't stop you."

"Do you think you could leave for a visit at some point?"

"A visit?" Zexion blinked, unsure what Demyx meant.

"I'm going back to Lindblum in the spring." Demyx pressed his forehead against Zexion's head, turquoise eyes sparkling conspiratorially. "Haven't you ever wondered what sort of place that old man who took care of you was from?"

To that, Zexion could only smile and speak softly, "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Riku slowly opened his bright aqua-green eyes, the ceiling slowly beginning to sharpen into focus. He turned his head slightly, his eyes meeting with the sapphire blue ones of the prince of Radiant Garden. "My prince?"

"How're you doing?" Sora asked quietly, his hand almost touching Riku's.

"I've been better," Riku admitted, wincing as he moved a little too much in order to look at him in a more comfortable position. "I heard from the guards that you went missing again."

"I got scolded by Edea already. Zexion's gone all of a sudden." Sora pouted lightly, leaning a little more onto the bed. "I went into town for the first time."

Riku blinked, then shook his head. "I can see why Lady Edea was so worried about you. After our little adventure with kidnappers, I would've thought you would've been more wary of people."

"Why wouldn't I trust my own people?"

Riku couldn't help but smile at that comment, envying Sora for his naïve trust in people. Sora grinned even wider at that. "I bought something for you."

"My prince, you really shouldn't have," Riku exclaimed incredulously while the prince dug into his pouch.

"See it as a gift of thanks for rescuing me." Sora took Riku's hand and put in it a small plain pewter ring. No embellishments. No stones. Nothing. Riku smiled though. To have something flashy like a stone-studded ring would only attract unwanted attention. "I would've gotten something a bit more decorative but I didn't want to cause you any trouble so…"

"Its fine," Riku assured, looking at it with a small look of gratitude. "I never did like flashy jewellery anyway."

Sora smiled brightly at that, jumping when he heard voices. "I think I better go. I've got swordplay lessons to go to."

"Alright. Be careful though," Riku whispered, clearly worried at hearing that.

"I haven't cut myself yet," Sora grinned, getting up and holding Riku's hand for a moment. "I'll come visit you again. I promise."

"Don't do anything that's going to put you into trouble."

"If it means I can't make sure you're alright with my own eyes, what's the point?"

Riku shook his head in fond despair. "Just get going, my prince."

"Going!"

Sora closed the door behind him after coming out of the room, leaning against it with a smile. He hadn't told Riku about this, mostly because he knew Riku would have refused it if he caught on the implication of the gesture, but Sora was wearing the partner of Riku's ring on his right hand. He lifted it up, stroking the metal gently.

Friendship rings. To both of them, and to the rest of the world, that's what they were, even if they did hold much more precious feelings for him in private.

He smiled and nodded quietly. Time to go back to lessons. He couldn't give people more grey hairs to think about after all.


	35. Different

**A/N:** It's been a while hasn't it? Well, I'm back from my small excursion in Spain (though seriously, if I wanted to be in a construction yard, I would've gone to London. Costa del Sol is just one construction yard after another) and I've finally -FINALLY- finished this chaper. Honestly, I was having major writer's block with it -head-to-desk- so having a break from it did a lot of good in a weird sort of way (Guess it's true that you need to take week long Sabbaticals to get the old juice flowing again).

With the review response, I'm definitely glad that the last chapter, **Guilt**, went over-well. I was majorly worried I had written too much that time but I managed to reason with myself that we wouldn't be going back to Sora, Riku, Zexion and Demyx for a long time (some longer than others). Though I'm sure people will ask me to give them updates on Riku's condition :x

Either way, we're over 850 reviews! Dudes! Keep on reviewing! Major thanks to: bliss, setsuko teshiba, SUFFERINGLOSTSOUL, Ebil Chameleon, Empress Satori, iamaspidermonkey, Uchiha Sasha, -siarafaerie-101-miss, Black Wolfess (I did think of doing a Zemyx but I discarded it due to the fact I felt it would be too similar to another fanfic on the site. I'm currently dabbling with another idea), StoopidMonkey, icEbLuE20, chibibabe07, Billie the fourth sage, Izzy-Lawliet, ObSeSsEd WiTh ROXAS, Shadow Cat17, LiteraryMirage (thanks for the early brthday greetings, but my birthday isn't until July XD), , TechnicolorHeart, Yoru no Kuronue, Aindel S. Druida, becauseimthefavorite, DrumlineSuperAsh0095, Hatsu-Kidamaru, Alfsigr, Sky Blue Baby and yaoi-midnight-mistress! You guys are now in my ultimate cool book!

So please, dear readers, for those who review, please continue to. For those who read but do not review, please do! For reviews are my Shirley Temples (the cocktail!)

* * *

**Different.** It was really the one word that could describe the room Leon was residing in during the time he was in Dalmasca. It was far bigger and more lavishly decorated than the smaller room in Aurea Castle and not as cosy. The bed was very low, almost just a mattress on the floor had it not been for the light brown wooden structure keeping it a few centimetres off the floor, silks of red and gold spread across it and gauzy drapes of white hanging off the bars attaching the posts together. Instead of grey stone walls was painted sandstone walls of red and amber with strange holy markings that kept away evil spirits and ghosts from attacking those sleeping peacefully at night. Instead of furry rugs with their heads and paws still attached, thick soft carpets with intricate designs graced the floors and wall hangings weaving in pictures from ancient tales of far-off places and heroic endeavours decorated the painted walls. Instead of many windows with wooden shutters was a balcony that could be curtained off with a thick red mesh of silks and fabric that kept out the cold desert wind out of the room.

The only thing remotely similar to the surroundings of grey stone castles that Cloud was used to was the man that was now currently sitting down on the ornate wooden and cushioned divan. The lion-skin that he usually wore in public was lying proudly next to him as if it were alive, despite being headless, ready to pounce on unsuspecting prey. If it had a head, Cloud was certain the look on Leon's face would've been an expression most suited to it; passive and yet ready to strike, disarming and yet deceiving.

"So why bring me here?" Cloud asked quietly, having had the notion that it would have been best for him to stay close to Tifa and the other servants for now.

"So I can keep a better eye on you," Leon replied, looking completely at ease considering he had looked like he was on the verge of murdering a man only moments ago. "Although your intentions were noble, it's best for us not to ruffle Lord Vayne's feathers too much."

"But he is your enemy. Since when did you care about whether you offended an enemy or not?" At that, Cloud had a feeling he might have said too much, but what little pride he had left was refusing to let him bow down.

"Since I happen to be quite fond of Ashe and would not want her to be in harm's way because of my own pet hate for Archadians."

Cloud was quite surprised at that. Even more so in how Leon had referred to Dalmasca's queen as if they were close friends, maybe even close relatives. "You call the queen by a pet name?"

"In private, yes," Leon answered, looking at him, "In public, we just refer to each other as 'Lord Leon' and 'Lady Ashelia', as expected. Why?"

Why indeed, Cloud had asked himself. He told himself that it was probably because it was just out of habit that he wanted to find a moment of weakness back when Leon was on top of his 'to murder' list. But something in his mind had told him otherwise.

"Just curious," Cloud mumbled. This only resulted in a small chuckle from Leon, as if he truly knew what was going on through the concubine's mind.

"Come here," the king beckoned, relaxing a little more into the divan. Cloud kept standing, not allowing his pride to be undermined. Leon narrowed his eyes a bit. "Cloud, don't make me say it again."

"I may be your concubine, but I am not your slave," Cloud retorted.

He took a step back when Leon rose silently, the look on his face not having changed in the slightest. He took a few more when Leon came closer to him until his knees hit the side of the bed, effectively trapping him. Leon took a hold of his arms, leaning over and whispering into the blond's ear, "Whoever said you were my slave?"

In a swift motion, Leon had leaned against Cloud to make them both topple onto the bed, Cloud's arms being firmly held above his head. The blond had seen that look in his eyes; that lustful twinkle that Cloud had come to fear during the first few weeks of captivity. And yet now…

Cloud just quickly closed his eyes and turned his head, shaking a little in dreaded anticipation. Leon might have held back on the boat, but who was to say he would hold back now.

"You're shaking," Leon whispered, having not done a thing yet to Cloud.

"If you're going to have your way with me, then why worry about whether I'm shaking or not," Cloud questioned, not sure what to make of this.

"It's not half as enjoyable if the partner isn't enjoying it either." Leon leant down to his neck, nipping along it which earned him a shocked gasp from the blond concubine. For some reason, Cloud felt this tingling sensation he had felt before once or twice, only it wasn't as quick and cheeky as the first time Leon had left a bite mark, or the brief tickling of hair that he had felt when they shared a horse to the River Nebra. It was slower, more sensual and it was sending shivers down his spine. Much to his own despair, he moaned quietly, unable to keep himself quiet while Leon continued to suckle at a place he had now deemed his favourite.

Leon pulled away, smirking lightly at the sight of the deep red blush tingeing Cloud's pale cheeks. "So it is your neck that's sensitive then."

"Wh-What?" Cloud stammered, looking at him with a shocked look, much like a deer when it caught sight of hunters. He shuddered and bit down on his lip to stop a groan escape when he felt a warm tongue trail up the crevice of his neck. He released his lip when he felt a hand slide down under his trousers and grip his member in a tight yet gentle hold. Only this time, instead of it being shockingly rough and sending shivers of scandal up and down Cloud his body, the blond found himself panting in the pleasure he, strangely enough, felt. It only heightened when that same hand that he had once damned to every dank pit in Hell began to rub him back and forth in a slow motion, making the blond shiver and writhe underneath the scarred brunet.

Such feelings terrified and disturbed Cloud deeply. What made him despair of himself was the very apparent inability of his to resist an overwhelming pleasure that overtook his body like a white hot flame, which burned hotter and more painfully than any lingam or torture device he had been subjected to during his 'taming'. Not even the feelings of damning shame could come to him as he had expected.

For now, all that mattered was the desire to feel more of this sweet yet agonizing bliss. Or at least, his body believed that was all that mattered.

"St-stop it!" Cloud tried to escape, his voice strained between moaning for more and pleading for relief while his body, to his horror, began to move on its own accord, his hips arching and falling like some living creature.

"Your body's begging for more though," Leon whispered into his ear, a hint of an erudite smirk gracing his features. And as much as Cloud hated to admit it, Leon was right to sound so smug. He was beginning to feel something rise up his now hardened length, something he was entirely unused to in his time with Leon.

"Ahh…nnn…no…haaa…"

Cloud's gasps were accompanied by his suddenly quickening movements in a bid to match the pace Leon's hand was now moving, all thoughts that should have been running through his mind now absent, his heart thumping against his ribcage like a war drum. The opulent world of the desert kingdom that had differed so much from the seemingly dark and imposing castle interiors of the moor land's empire now faded in his mind, eyes closing to a world of darkness where the sensation only deepened and seared into his entire being. Although not the furs he was accustomed too, the sumptuous silken sheets might as well have been in his mind; he didn't care as long as he had a tight grip on it with his hands as it seemed the only way for him to hang on and not fall any deeper than he already had.

With a strangled cry, a sense of relief swept over him as something sticky, hot and wet poured from his now sore length, it also covering Leon's hand. He panted heavily, the cold chill of aftermath sweeping over him after working himself up into a frenzy of aching limbs, trying to regain his breath as he felt his most excited part of him lower itself back into his original position. When he opened his eyes, he nearly shrieked in shock and shame as he saw Leon licking his fingers, as if the translucent substance were some sort of sweet juice from a freshly pressed apple.

"Delicious," Leon stated, licking his lips lightly.

What happened next, Cloud found himself even more confused than ever. Instead of continuing as the blond had expected, Leon had defied the reasoning and pulled him up into a somewhat comforting embrace which Cloud found himself either slow to fight or unwilling to challenge. All he knew was that his muscles felt heavy from the vigorously jiggling about that he had done.

"You were quick," Leon had chuckled into his ear in a cruelly mischievous tone. Cloud now fought to get away from him, but was finding it difficult to achieve.

"Bastard," Cloud growled, struggling to escape. The king just held him where he was, confident in the knowledge that Cloud was weaker than usual after what he had done to him.

"You'll rest here for the night. After that little escapade with the Archadian soldiers, they'll surely be after your blood for making a mockery out of them."

"So I'm to be imprisoned here?"

"For the duration that the Archadians stay here, yes. I still give you free will to go wherever you wish in Rabanastre on the condition you have a guard nearby, Dalmascan or my own."

To Cloud, although he knew Leon was just concerned for the concubine's safety, it made him feel a bit like he had no escape at all from Leon's control. This only irked him all the more, but he held back his tongue. It didn't pay to try the scarred brunet's patience; that much he had learnt.

"Then…you're not going to go further than this?" It had been the only thing he could think of saying, regardless of how inappropriate it seemed to be. But then again, he was the one that had been –how should he describe it? Violated?

"Do you want me to go further?" Leon asked, quirking an amused eyebrow.

"No!" Cloud snapped, quicker than a Dalmascan crocodile that lurked in the waters of the River Nebra could close its jaw. The scarred king could only chuckle at that, releasing Cloud and standing up. The blond was amazed that Leon seemed barely affected by the whole event.

"Take the rest of the day off. I'll meet you back here in the evening."

"Where are you going?"

"I need to speak with Lord Vayne about the conduct of his soldiers, and then I have to deal with a welcoming feast later on."

Little else needed to be said. The tone of Leon's voice already described how much dread he felt with having to spend time with people he'd rather not but knew he had to for everyone's benefit. They parted company in silence.

* * *

It had been only a little over an hour when Cloud finally came out of the room, having changed his clothes for the traditional scarlet Dalmascan dress (consisting of long tunic-like piece of clothing called a _kaftan_ over trousers and stout boots) and a cloak, along with the scarf to cover his head. His old clothes seemed soiled to him by his and Leon's previous…'encounter'.

But he didn't find himself willing to stick around while the ability to move freely around Rabanastre was offered to him. Even if it did mean he had to be accompanied.

"The question now is who do I ask to escort me?" Cloud murmured. He could go and find Roxas and see if they could coerce Sir Axel into coming with them, but he very much doubted that the flame-haired knight would not be busy at this point. And Roxas would most likely be making himself useful either in the stables or in the servants' quarters, Cloud had thought. That left him with either asking one or two of the Radiant Garden soldiers, or a few of the Dalmascans.

"But everyone must be tired from the trip to Dalmasca from Radiant Garden…maybe it would be best to ask someone from Dalmasca."

The choice firm in his mind, he walked around in hopes of finding a Dalmascan guard that didn't look like he was on duty.

* * *

Roxas had actually found himself in the Palace Gardens, enjoying the Dalmascan afternoon sunshine before going in to help out the servants in the kitchens later on. Desert blooms grew in abundance among thorny bushes, ponds glistening in the sunlight between pink and white water lilies. Birdsong could be heard from an imported ivory cage from Dalmasca's close ally Bhujerba, small birds coloured in a different array of blues singing beautifully, black eyes shining like onyx beads.

Curious, Roxas had poked his nose through a small hole in the ornate enclosure, sapphire eyes looking at the small birds in wide-eyed wonder as they jumped and flew between bamboo perches. His finger reached out to stroke the soft feathery body of sapphire blue of a nearby bird, mindful of its dark midnight-coloured head crowned with a strand of royal blue, instinctively knowing that the pale grey beak would peck at him sharply if he offended it.

"They're called 'Whistling Thrushes'," a low powerful voice stated a little bit behind the young boy. Roxas quickly pulled back his fingers, agitating the bird into flight far away from him while it chirped irritably at him. The blond turned, seeing that it was Captain Azelas that had surprised him. He walked towards him, standing next to the boy to look at the birds. "They were a birthday gift from Marquis Ondore IV to Her Majesty last spring. We don't have birds like these in Dalmasca."

"They're beautiful," Roxas breathed, looking back to them. Deep down, he knew it would only anger or upset Axel if he ever found out that his own squire was talking to his rival, but for now, Roxas thought he could do with a little company. "I don't think I could have dreamed of seeing them."

"I would've thought you had seen your fair share of songbirds."

"Sir Axel prefers dogs, and the only birds he would keep are hawks since they're good at hunting."

"Doesn't he have a sister?"

"She's a lot like him." Roxas smiled, a little bit of fondness attached to that whimsical gesture. To think he had thought people whom he saw as his enemies now as friends, maybe even closer than friends. Well, it certainly was the case for Kairi, who had become something like a sister for Roxas, but Axel…Roxas felt like his conceptions and opinions on Axel were all asunder.

"How did you come into Axel's service?" Vossler queried, leaning against the ivory cage.

"…war prize," Roxas admitted. "He saved my life though. If it wasn't for him…I'd probably be dead."

Yes, useless fourth prince Roxas would have been dead. Branded a traitor by his own people for not committing suicide upon being captured, and having lost his status as a possible bargaining tool, the king of Radiant Garden would no doubt have had him killed on the spot if it hadn't been for the fact that Axel had claimed him as his own.

"Do you know what happened to your family?"

"I've only got a brother left. He's in the king's service." It could never be doubted that Cloud's attractiveness would save him. Roxas had heard stories that one well-timed 'look' had often saved Cloud's skin from their father's cane when he misbehaved. "Everyone else was killed."

"Don't you feel any animosity towards Axel?"

Roxas paused at that. Did he? No…maybe at the beginning, but he was more of a scared child than an angry adult like Cloud had been (according to servants' tales). And like any scared child when faced with the prospect of death, Roxas had clung onto life with whatever chance was given to him.

For him, that was servitude to Axel.

"Not really," Roxas smiled. "Not as much as I thought I would." Vossler looked perplexed, not quite understanding why the young boy held no anger, no vengeance, against the wild warrior of the moors. A servant called out for Roxas, looking slightly out of breath from running around trying to find him. "I better go. It was nice talking to you Captain."

Roxas ran over to the servant, dust being kicked up by his boots as he went, wondering why Vossler was so curious about him. And what Axel's reaction would be if he ever caught wind of this conversation.

He then prayed that Axel never found out, since the redhead was pretty much dead set against Captain Azelas.

* * *

Reks sighed heavily, scratching the back of his head lightly. What a day. First his brother Vaan causes trouble by declaring he wanted to be a pirate again during breakfast, then he had to march all the way to the Nebra to fetch the Radiant Garden party, _then_ Vaan caused even more trouble right in the middle of the procession and _**then**_ he had to apologise on behalf of Vaan to the Arcadian soldiers that had been stolen from.

"Little brothers are not worth half the trouble," he muttered darkly, narrowing his eyes a bit. Vaan was in for it now.

If only bloody Balthier hadn't turned up on top of all this. Vaan's sudden wish to become a pirate was all kick-started by his appearance. Fran hadn't helped matters either by neither encouraging nor disdaining the lifestyle, opting to keep her silence.

During these rather annoyed thoughts, Reks found himself bumping into someone by accident. "Ah! Sorry!"

He recognised the person. Or at least, he had recognised the eyes. Bright sapphire blue, an oddity in Dalmasca when dark brown to grey were common eye colours. Reks could see clearly why the strange man had had his face covered by a head scarf though. He had bright platinum blond hair, again an oddity as silvery blond was more common. The man picked himself up, dusting off his kaftan lightly. "Not a problem." The man then looked at him, as if he were trying to remember something. "You were in the procession. Walking next to me."

Reks blinked but then firmly reported, "I was, sir."

"One friendly face then," the man concluded, looking surprisingly chirpy for someone who clearly had been arguing with the king during the long march to Rabanastre. "I was hoping someone could escort me around the city since I've already upset some Archadians."

"Uhh well, are you sure I'm the person to ask?"

"I would ask someone else, but they all looked busy…at least, your companions did. The guards from Radiant Garden have had a long journey so I didn't want to bother them."

Reks looked at the man, still very unsure if he really was up to the challenge of escorting this man around. Archadians, after all, didn't like being made out to be fools. On the other hand, this man was richly clothed which tended to suggest someone of a high status. If he refused, he could have gotten a bad report if the man complained. "Alright. Please follow me then."

The man -well, Reks thought he looked at least 18, so therefore a man- smiled as he moved to wrap the scarf he had with him around his head. "I'm Cloud," he said, as a form of introduction. He held his hand out for Reks to shake.

"Reks, sir." The 17 year-old accepted it.

* * *

If there was one person Leon didn't trust as far as he could spit a rat, it was Vayne of House Solidor. To most people, Vayne seemed like the perfect envoy of gaining peace throughout the lands, but Dalmasca and the army of Radiant Garden weren't fooled by the guise. Leon could tell that Vayne was a warring man, and a very accomplished one at that. His and Ashe's battles with him in the past had been hard fought, and many had been killed or severely wounded. Thus, neither trusted him, but knew that this treaty would stop anymore violence.

Leon for one was in no mood to rush from one conflict into another.

It was probably for this reason Leon had found himself walking towards the mature man that was sitting at a desk that had been installed into his guestroom, swallowing down his pride for the greater good as his storm-coloured eyes stared into the inky abyss of onyx-haired third son of the Archadian Emperor.

"I apologise greatly for my men's behaviour towards your servants, and to the Queen's," Vayne smoothly responded to Leon's demands for better behaved soldiers. "They shall be apprehended and punished as soon as possible."

"Why not now, in front of the others?" Leon questioned, narrowing his eyes.

"It won't pay to do it now. Why douse the atmosphere of hope with punishments?"

"So you'll let them get away with it? Don't you think that will affect the rest of us?" Leon had felt his hand twitch lightly but stilled it quickly, knowing that no matter how much he wanted to strike, he couldn't.

"The treaty is in two day's time. Once it is signed, I shall let you and the Queen decide however you wish to see them punished," Vayne offered, that appealing smile still on his face. Leon still didn't trust it, but knew that he couldn't force anymore out of Vayne, for now.

"Fine."

"On one condition. That…concubine I believe my men had told me that you owned."

Leon tensed, pulling his arms up into a defensive pose. "What of him?"

"I do hope that you'll discipline him as expected."

"He's been dealt with," Leon responded evenly, knowing that he wouldn't be questioned on his affairs since he was of a higher eminence than Vayne. That and he knew that it would protect Cloud from the Archadians' wrath if Vayne felt that the blond had been punished sufficiently.

"Wonderful," Vayne smiled. Again, there was something very distrustful about that crocodile-like smile, Leon had thought. "I shall see you tonight then." The onyx-haired man held his hand out to him, in a gesture of camaraderie. Leon had to swallow down his pride once more to take the "butcher's" hand.

"Till tonight," Leon replied, keeping his voice as even-toned as possible.

Once out, Leon had finally taken out his frustration on an unsuspecting column, shocking a few guards and servants who had just walked by. There was a very noticeable crack underneath his fist, an intense glare in his eyes.

"Damn him," Leon growled in a feral voice. He knew Vayne was up to something. But what he didn't know, and that terrified him.


	36. Vibrant

**A/N:** Well then, this has been a fast update. Especially since this is a pretty long chapter (i.e. 11 pages on Word and 67 KB). I'm going to be quick with this Author's Note and thank everyone who's read and review. This includes: Valinda Blade, Lil' Miss Spookiness, Empress Satori, cloudstrifejen, Yoru no Kuronue, SUFFERINGLOSTSOUL, Shadow Cat17, TheRecorder, -siarafaerie-101-miss, -Anonymous Insanity-, setsuko teshiba, , LiteraryMirage, yaoi-midnight-mistress, you. broke. a. promise (sorry for putting spaces in your username, but i'm getting sick of the site not showing it), Uchiha Sasha, ObSeSsEd WiTh ROXAS, Sky Blue Baby, slivershell, xeikm, ForForever, and Izzy-Lawliet. Please keep on reading and reviewing! For reviews are my waffles!

* * *

**Vibrant.** That could best describe the bustling city of Rabanastre.

As Cloud took more steps deeper into the heart of the market square, he was overpowered by smells of exotic spices, herbs, sweetmeats and perfumes; overwhelmed by the sounds of food sizzling in oiled cook pans, metal and jewellery jangling against each other and the shouts of people as they competed for custom or played their friendly games; and completely overcome by the brightly coloured canopies of the stalls and clothes of people against the red sandstone backdrop. To Cloud, he figured this was what it would be like to walk among a crowd of peacocks, though Reks seemed more subtle and quiet then the rest of the crowd.

What took Cloud aback when he had first set out into the citadel were the variations, not of people, but of race and tribe. Reks taught him which was which: those that had the skin the colour of raw sienna, eyes that varied from wine-coloured to burnt earth, hair that could be snow white to lavender and wore "ears" made from the skins of desert hares were called 'the Viera'; those who wore the skins of Dalmascan crocodiles to cover their entire being and wore grotesque helmets with a horn atop their heads were called 'the Seeq'; 'the Bangaa' were much like the Seeq only they wore long flaps of leather over their head like a headdress and wore fine silks and cotton as well as a 'snout' made of leather that was rumoured to prevent the Bangaa from illness; and finally there were 'Humes', people who looked like Cloud and Reks and who were more common in Dalmasca's population than the previous three.

Needless to say, it took a while for Cloud to understand exactly who was who, and what was offensive to one but fine to another. For example, it was best not to call Bangaas lizards as they believed their ancestors were once salamanders until Hyne cursed them to walk the earth as men, while it was inadvisable to ever inquire to a Viera's age, mostly due to the fact that they were secretive and sensitive beings, steeped in the wisdom of "the old ways". Luckily, he hadn't had the chance to test these theories.

"Where do you live Reks?" Cloud asked, avoiding a pair of Seeqs that were pushing through the market swarm.

"In Lowtown," Reks replied.

"Lowtown?"

"It's basically the slums. I'm only a soldier so I don't get much pay."

"And your parents?"

"They died. My mother in a plague three years ago, and my father two years ago in battle. It's only me and my brother now."

Cloud had a vague vision that Reks had come from a respectable family in the city, so it had come as a shock to him when he was told all this. And he felt a strange feeling that their situations were somewhat similar, having only brothers left from war and disease. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be. It's in the past now. There was nothing I could have done to stop it." This surprised Cloud further. Reks seemed to be at peace with his parents' untimely deaths. "It was the will of Hyne. At least He spared my brother from both."

There was a sort of uneasy silence between the two. At least, uneasy on Cloud's part. The only death he had really been affected by was his own mother's, and that was years and years ago when he was but a small child. He never witnessed his half-brothers' and father's deaths, only pictured it. "How old is he?" Cloud asked at last.

"Vaan? He's two years younger than I."

"Mine's a little younger."

"You have one too?"

"Yes. His name's Roxas."

"How old is he?"

"He'll be sixteen come this spring."

"Same age as mine then," Reks chuckled. "Hope he isn't as much trouble."

"I have the impression that he's been nothing but helpful so far to the people he's working for."

Reks sighed. "Can I trade my Vaan for your Roxas? Vaan's been nothing but a pest for Migelo."

"Sorry, I think you'll have to ask Sir Axel for that."

"Then I have no chance!" They both laughed, as if it were some hilarious joke that only they could understand while passer-by's watched then with strange questioning glances. They took a deep, slowly letting silence settle between them once more.

"I'd like to see Lowtown," Cloud said, never having had seen how the peasantry truly lived, other than having a taste of the market on special occasions when he was a prince.

"Best that you don't. There's nothing to see."

"There is," Cloud stated. "People."

"I think you'll not want to see many of the people that live in Lowtown since you live in such proper circles," Reks murmured, looking uneasy about the prospect of taking a noble into the slums of Rabanastre.

"Reks, might I warn you that I'm stubborn," Cloud grinned a little, knowing that being stubborn was one of the good things about him. At least, a good thing in certain situations.

The soldier sighed, unable to see any way of fighting the noble, especially if it appeared that he was very close to the king of Radiant Garden. "Don't expect anything you're used to when we go down there. And keep an eye on your belongings at all times." Reks then muttered under his breath, "If it isn't Vaan pick-pocketing one person, it's one of those other annoying kids."

Cloud didn't bother to ask. The group's encounter with the pint-sized thief had given him a taste of what the street urchins could be like.

* * *

"You were with him."

Roxas had stopped what he was doing, earning an annoyed bray from Flame who was enjoying the grooming. Axel was leaning against the stable door, watching him with carefully guarded eyes.

Roxas sighed softly. "It's not like I was plotting behind your back."

"So you're not denying it?"

"I don't see what I gain from lying." Roxas continued to brush Flame, giving the colt a good pat to assure him he wasn't going to stop. "And besides, it's my choice on who I speak to, not yours."

"I would have thought you had enough sense to understand that I wouldn't want you to talk to him."

"Well I apologise for not having that common sense," Roxas grumbled sarcastically, dropping the body brush and grabbing the small metal mane comb from the kit bag that hung on the wall. "I hadn't realised that common sense was needed in serving you, my lord."

Axel narrowed his eyes, staring at the back of Roxas' blond head, as if trying to force him to turn through the power of the mind. It wasn't working. "Face me."

Roxas stopped, leaving the comb in Flame's mane and turning around, his face a picture of exasperation. "Will you just let it go Axel."

Roxas nearly screeched when, before he could even blink, he was pushed to the wall with a loud thump. Flame sidestepped away, dunking his head into the water bucket, and then into the hay bucket, far more interested in food than his master's actions. Roxas' hands were held on either side of his head by the wrist. Axel's face was close, almost too close, strands of vibrant flame-red hair tickling Roxas' face.

"Don't test me Roxas," he said lowly, his bright green eyes peering at him with an unreadable emotion.

"I'm not testing you," Roxas retorted, glaring at him. "I just don't understand why it's worked you up so much. It was just a conversation. I didn't even initiate it."

"That's not the point," Axel grumbled.

"What is the point then?" Roxas asked, his eyes glancing at him evenly. "And could you let me go? You're beginning to hurt me." He cringed a little when Axel's grip became tighter.

"I don't want him getting the wrong idea."

"What wrong idea?" Roxas demanded incredulously. "All I did was banter with him! It wasn't even important! For goodness sakes, we were discussing _**birds**_!"

"He'll try to take you away from me…"

"Oh now you're just being paranoid." Roxas rolled his eyes, feeling his arms starting to get tired. "Do you honestly think I'll cling onto the strongest person I see?"

"You clung onto me…"

"I hadn't a choice. Besides, I don't think you would've allowed me to commit suicide. Would you?"

Axel hadn't answered, but he still kept a firm grip on his wrists. Roxas just sighed. "Listen, if you think I'm going to change my allegiances to Captain Azelas, I'm not. I want to be close to my brother. I don't want to be any further away from him than I already have to be. And besides…I've been told that betrayal is a cowardly thing to do."

That seemed to have doused whatever paranoid fears Axel had had, his grip loosening just a tiny bit, letting Roxas' arms slide down a bit against the wall. To Roxas, this still wasn't good enough. "You have to let me go and let me do my work."

"Please…just don't talk to him again."

"I can't ignore him if he speaks to me. You know that's a basic rule in courtly manners." Roxas pulled his wrists away from Axel's grasp, ducking underneath his arms and going back to his task at hand, hoping that the subject would have been laid to rest now.

He didn't understand though. Axel was fine if Vossler spoke to anyone else under the redhead's command. What made him any different? Was it because Axel thought he was impressionable and easily influenced by strength and power? Did he not…trust him?

At that thought, Roxas felt like he had been stabbed. Repeatedly. And that was a lot more painful than that kidnapping weeks ago. Much more painful.

He heard Axel leave the stable. When he felt the redhead wasn't watching him, Roxas rested his head against the colt's mane, stopping his grooming. The horse turned its head slightly, as if in question as to why he stopped.

"Flame, you have the most frustrating and impossible man for a master." He sighed, "And unfortunately, he's mine too."

* * *

Lowtown was as Reks had described it: not at all what Cloud was used to. But now he could see why Reks, and certainly many other people, were so pale like their noblemen counterparts. Sunlight had been blocked from the Lowtown by the upper levels of the citadel, cursing the poorest of the poor to fester in darkness and smoky air.

At least, Cloud had thought, the people seemed to have ample enough water to go around, even if money was tight.

"I can't believe you people live here," Cloud spoke quietly, feeling deeply uncomfortable.

"When Rabanastre was built many years ago, people from all parts of Dalmasca flocked to find a better life. Many of them were just simple tribesmen trying to survive in the desert." Reks looked around warily, children scattering away when his gaze landed on them. "Lowtown was once the city centre, until too many people came and a new level was built."

"A city above a city," Cloud murmured.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just an observation." Though it made him wonder if Leon's citadel, Borealis, was anything like this. "So do all the…peasants live here?"

"The ones that can't afford housing on the upper levels. And your common criminals."

"This isn't a place to raise your brother."

"Trust me, Vaan's in good company." Reks rolled his eyes, shaking his head in despair. "He's become such a little thief these days. And ever since the Archadians started marching around like they own the place, he's suddenly become a vigilante. And not only that, he's gotten all the other children involved."

"Vigilante?" Cloud struggled to suppress a laugh. "How so?"

"'Stealing back what rightfully belongs to Dalmasca' or some other bullshit he's come up with."

Cloud snorted at that. "Sounds like me."

"You?"

"Long story. Let's get to your place."

* * *

Matters of the heart are fickle dramatic things. The thought had definitely crossed Leon's mind as he leaned against the balcony balustrade, looking out over the palace gardens and the desert that surrounded the citadel walls. After all, with each passing day the attraction he felt for Cloud was getting far more noticeable to the point he knew he couldn't ignore it anymore, or shove it back with more pressing matters. He chuckled dryly at himself, rubbing the bridge of his nose where his scar crossed over his face. Here he was, thinking that he had ensnared the blond into a tangled web where every time he pulled at the strings, he would only get more entangled and attract the preying beast that constructed it, and now only to find out that he had been trapped in his own web as well. It was laughable. Completely ridiculous. Zexion would be laughing his head off at the mess his lord had gotten into. Well, to Zexion's credit, he would probably snigger lightly while trying to console him or help him out of it.

No doubt his worries over what Vayne was planning had been blown out of proportion due to these thoughts he had of Cloud. There had been something unnerving about Vayne's inquest into whether Cloud had been castigated or not. Something that deeply disturbed him.

"What are you planning, Vayne?" he muttered quietly, tying to get his head around the possibilities. Another assassination attempt? A threat? A kidnapping?

"Have a moment, my liege?"

Leon turned, seeing that Axel had joined him in taking in the view. He pursed his lips. "You look like you've just been thrown into a pile of pig shit and then into a frozen lake to wash the stench off."

"Eloquently put my liege. And I feel like that." He practically slumped against the balustrade, lanky arms hanging over it and letting them dangle in the air.

"What is it? Captain Azelas giving you grief."

"Something like that."

"Oh?"

"If someone you didn't like started talking to your concubine, would you start feeling paranoid?"

"Considering that Cloud would kill me if given the chance, I would be a little paranoid."

"What if Cloud wasn't out to slaughter you?"

"Honestly, I think I'd still feel worried about it."

"…I'm worried about Roxas."

Leon blinked, turning to look at him. "I got the impression that he followed you around like a puppy."

"Trust me, he's got teeth. And he knows how to use them."

"I guess that's something to be happy about."

"How's that?"

"Think about it Axel. If he was as weak as initially thought, he'd have partnered himself to the Archadians as soon as he got here, let alone Azelas."

"…you think so?"

"If he's anything like that brother of his, I know so."

Axel seemed to relax at that thought. To see Axel that deeply bothered about something as trivial as this was definitely not common as Leon had always known his childhood friend as a person who could never care about what others thought of him, or care for petty acts and squabbles.

"If I hadn't claimed Roxas as a prize, what would you have done to him?" Axel asked, never really knowing what Leon's plan had been with Hollow Bastion as he had pretty much been kept in the dark about it. Not even Zexion seemed to know what the king had in mind; though then again, Zexion was a brilliant actor when the time called for it.

"Would've used him as the backup plan," Leon admitted.

"Backup plan?" This was definitely not what he had expected. If anything, he was expecting Leon to kill Roxas on the spot to show Hollow Bastion that he meant every word he said.

"It'll all become clear later. Just continue to train up Roxas. He's a valuable asset for us."

It was then it clicked inside Axel's mind, giving an uncertain glance to the king. Leon nodded, knowing that Axel had figured it out.

If all else had failed with Cloud, Leon would have moved on to Roxas, using him as a puppet monarch to keep Hollow Bastion in order once they had conquered the small kingdom. In hope that Roxas would become loyal, he then would've let the little prince handle the reins of the kingdom on his own, leaving one or two hand-picked advisors to keep him in line, just in case he should get any ideas. This was not a plan that Leon was fond of though, so he was immensely glad that he hadn't had to resort to it.

Just yet, Leon had thought. Cloud was still as stubborn as a mule. Only time would tell if Cloud would behave himself the way Leon wanted him to.

Part of him didn't want Cloud to start behaving beautifully though. Call it a selfish wish, but Cloud's stubborn nature gave him a reason to keep him in his grasp. And the scarred king was finding it difficult to let him go.

* * *

When they approached Reks' front door, Cloud didn't know what to expect. When Reks told him that the house currently housed 5 adult men –all soldiers– and two adolescents –one male, one female– if one didn't include the extra man and woman who were guests for an undetermined time, Cloud had braced himself for a shock.

When he saw the small space that was supposed to house nine people all together, Cloud found it impossible to believe it.

Especially when he noticed a very flamboyantly dressed man reciting tales of the high seas to a group of captivated children. It was hard to tell how tall the man was since he was sitting down, but Cloud guessed that he was in his early to mid-twenties. Light brown hair covered the top of his head and dark, roguish eyes twinkled in the dim light, grinning mischievously as he made a quick lunge to scare the children or waved his arms excessively to describe a motion, making his gathered sleeves float along with his arms, the cravat swaying lightly against his highly decorated jerkin. He seemed surreal, like he didn't exactly fit in this dim and poor world with such expensive looking clothing. Not even the boots he wore seemed cheap.

In the corner, a tall Viera leaned against the wall, rolling her eyes at the man. When she shook her head, her tall headdress shaped to look like hare ears shook with her rigidly. Her dark face was framed with hair of creamy white, hiding two wise wine-coloured eyes in delicate structure. Her clothing however was a bit more…revealing, to put it lightly. All she wore was what looked like a girdle over a low-cut tunic, said item only just covering her thighs, while tall leather boots covered her legs just a little bit under it, but left nothing to the imagination. To Cloud, she seemed to fit the quota of a thief that thrived in this place, but she seemed to fill the role as the minder.

Reks just looked at the youth that was going around collecting "fees" for the audience's entertainment with absolute appal. "Vaan! Give that money back! And Balthier! Don't encourage him!" He looked despairingly at the Viera. "Fran, couldn't you at least control that silver-tongue of yours?"

Fran just shrugged. "He is a man that cannot be controlled. Not even by me."

"Alright. Then tell Vaan not to be a thief!"

Again, Fran merely shrugged. "The path he chooses is his choice. Not mine."

"Oh fat lot of help you are," Reks growled, shooing the children off, grabbing Vaan by the ear, ignoring his yelps. Once the audience was gone, he turned on his brother. "And _you_ should be helping Migelo like you promised me."

"Well if you didn't force me to hand back that money I liberated from those soldiers earlier on, I wouldn't be here!"

"That's a lie and you know it Vaan. Now get a move on before I march you over there," Reks threatened. Vaan stuck his tongue out at him, storming out while proclaiming angrily, "Nag nag nag! That's all you ever do!"

Reks sighed once Vaan left, putting a hand to his head. "This has not been a good day for me."

"You shouldn't be so harsh on the boy," Balthier spoke coolly, grabbing a bottle of some questionable liquid from the table and pressing it to his lips.

"You should talk, you good-for-nothing pirate!" Reks screeched. "I ought to turn you in to the Archadians!"

"Ohhhhh but you won't," Balthier grinned coyly, leaning back against his chair easily. "Captain fon Ronsenburg asked you to hide me since the Archadians wouldn't _dare_ step foot into Lowtown."

To this, Reks went mute, looking like he was trying to stave off a headache. Fran sighed, looking away. "Men," she muttered. It was then she noticed Cloud's presence. "Who're you?"

Balthier looked over, raising a brow out of curiosity, though his eyes continued to twinkle like a magpie's.

"His name is Cloud. He's a courtier from Radiant Garden."

"Courtier is putting it mildly," Cloud sighed. Reks looked at him, confused.

"Ahhhh so you're the concubine!" Balthier exclaimed, getting up onto his feet. Cloud had to admit that Balthier was definitely a good few inches taller than him. But how he had heard of him was quite another thing.

"How-?!"

"I happen to have acquaintances within the palace walls."

"Try multiple lovers," Fran sighed, shaking her head. "Poor women."

"Can't be helped. A lady is always attracted to the leading man," Balthier replied smoothly, oozing with confidence. Cloud found himself wanting to gag.

"For all your sophistication Balthier," Fran started, eyeing him with a very straight face, "you are still very much a child."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." Fran could only smirk, knowing that she had won the battle between them yet again. Balthier turned his attention back to the blond. "Well then, let's see this extraordinary beauty that make women turn their heads in jealously I've heard so much about."

"Don't see why I have to show my face to a criminal," Cloud remarked, making sure the headscarf was still tightly wound around his face.

"Oh ho, it barks. Can it bite though?" Balthier made a move forward, reaching out to take the scarf off.

"Balthier, I really wouldn't-" Reks started. Cloud gave Balthier a vicious slap across the face and knee to the groin once he got too close.

"Do not touch me!" Cloud snapped, his old "prince-like" behaviour kicking in.

"Ouch. So he does bite," Balthier groaned, nursing his sore skin and unmentionable area. Fran hid her mouth behind her hand, fighting back laughter that threatened to burst out and flood the silent room. Balthier gave her a glare. "What sort of supporting role are you, letting your leading man get hurt and slighted like this?"

"Didn't know you were _my_ leading man. I thought you were _everyone's_ leading man."

"Just help me Fran!"

Cloud looked over to Reks, hearing the sounds of a very winded Balthier getting moved to the back. "I think I overreacted."

"You _think_?" Reks questioned. "You _did_."

Cloud grinned uneasily. "Old habits die hard, huh?"

"If you're the king's concubine, I dread to think what you were like at the beginning!"

"That'll be a tale for another day," Cloud had said, looking over to the pirate who was making a big to-do about his 'grievous injuries'. "I think I better leave before I incur his wrath though. I know well enough that pirates are not to be trifled with."

"I wouldn't worry too much. Balthier's under strict orders to keep a low profile since the Archadians are looking for him." Reks then understood why Cloud was looking at him with a pointed look. He wasn't comfortable sharing company with pirates. "Ah, but I haven't shown you The Sandsea yet! Come, let's get a drink!"

* * *

With assurances from Fran that she would deal with Balthier ("He's slow to anger usually, but if he feels like he's been slighted directly, he'll start proposing duels," Fran had sighed, rolling her eyes lightly, "even if it's a wench he slept with has been insulted." This earned her an indignant growl from her partner in crime), Reks and Cloud had made their way back up to the upper levels and over to the pub.

Inside, Cloud had been amazed at just how noisy and smoky one small room could be, with groups of people roaring in drunken laughter and screeches from tavern girls that had been touched in an indecent fashion. Even tavern boys were getting unwanted attention, though some didn't seem to mind it from certain customers.

"So this is it."

"Mmhm," Reks nodded his head. "I don't frequent it myself, but I know Tomaj here. And Penelo's brothers come here on their breaks on most days."

Cloud had nodded, slightly moving his headscarf down his face so that his pale mouth could be revealed, sapphire eyes blinking around the place in hope of finding a relatively secluded part of the pub.

"I'll get us a drink. You go sit up there." Reks pointed to a table on the upper level that was in the corner, away from the eyes of onlookers. "I'll catch up."

"Alright," Cloud nodded, making his way over.

From the corner of his eye, he thought he had seen a flash of silver. But when he turned, there was no one there. How odd, Cloud had thought.

However, it had made him wary. House Jenova had allied themselves to Archadia after all. It wouldn't sound farfetched that one of them was here in Dalmasca right now. He stopped at that thought, eyes widening a bit. Roxas was still in the palace, completely oblivious to this. And if it wasn't Roxas and Cloud the Jenovas were after then…

He made steps back to Reks and grabbed his arm, dragging him away from the tall dark man he had been talking to.

"Hey! What gives?!"

"We need to get back to palace. Now!"


	37. Fear

**A/N:** Well, it has been a while since I uploaded. This chapter was hard to write out since I wanted to get the speed right without cutting out detail. Hopefully, I've accomplished that. Hopefully.

OK, the cut to the chase, thank you so much for reading and reviewing. **WE REACHED OVER 100,000 HITS!** _BOO-YAH!_ 8D! Thanks to these people for reviewing: SasuNaru199312121212, Chocola Emo Shizzle, KitaraStrife (four times over), Lady_Chicobo, hollowFAERIE, bliss, lionheart0601, Marlyn Strife, lyrenthial, Uchiha Sasha, Billie the fourth sage, Valinda Blade, SUFFERINGLOSTSOUL, iamaspidermonkey, ForeverFallen304, autumnlove113, Concise Complexity, -Anonymous Insanity-, Shadow Cat17, LiteraryMirage, Uncertain, MadeInHolland, Sky Blue Baby, Black Wolfess, Empress Satori, xeikm, , Yoru no Kuronue, FlurryDivider, The Recorder, Izzy-Lawliet, sparkreno, yaoi-midnight-mistress, and becauseimthefavourite! You wonderful, amazing people, you! Continue to read and review! For reviews are my lollipops!

* * *

**Fear**. Any person could tell you that it made anyone do brave things, or quite stupid things, to overcome or run away from the emotion. It took someone incredibly brave to overcome a fear, but sometimes that amount of bravery was necessary. Especially if people you care or have come to care for are in danger.

In Cloud's case, yes people he cared for and had come to care for were in danger in his mind. But Leon was there too. Cloud just could not let anyone even scratch the king. After all, Cloud was saving his blade for Leon's neck. Wouldn't be as satisfying if Leon was a corpse, and if he still didn't have his beloved homeland in his grasp. He kept telling himself that as he forcibly dragged Reks through the streets of Rabanastre towards the palace, trying to ignore all the good qualities he was beginning to see in the scarred brunet.

"Cloud slow down!" Reks yelled, almost losing one of his shoulder guards when they sped past a large Seeq carrying iron water jars hanging off a pole on his shoulders.

"We have to hurry! Everyone could be in danger!"

Cloud had barely acknowledged the Archadian guards that were harassing a stall owner, brushed past Viera hunters that had slung their feathery catches over their shoulders, and bumped into a blinded Bangaa, though Reks had slowed them down to apologise before the blond dragged him off again.

Leon can not die, he had told himself. He wouldn't allow it. There was no way in the numerous pits of hell he was going to let Leon die.

* * *

Cloud had been gone for the whole afternoon so far, it had been reported to the king. And he might not be back from his trip out until that evening after the –somewhat enforced– dinner with Dalmasca's queen, her consort and Lord Vayne.

And that was where Leon was now, at a round table that sat low on the floor, sitting on a cushion while watching Vayne warily. The onyx-haired man was lounging comfortably, looking and acting like the perfect courtier in polite society. Leon glanced at Dalmasca's royal couple with one eye in the silence that still reigned supreme.

Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca was a pale woman of nineteen years, with pale grey eyes that had subtle hues of green and amber within the irises. Her light blonde hair was cut short, as was the fashion for Dalmascan ladies, and her creamy-white face was very strongly built, like a warrior queen. Fitting for her as it was well known that she was a good sword-arm and could fight with the best of her knights, especially with her husband. Rasler Heios of House Nebradia was practically the perfect Dalmascan noble: pale to the extent that his hair was almost sheer white, eyes the colour of smoky diamonds and skin as pale as the new moon, covering muscles built from hard work training as a warrior. He was only one or two years older than Leon, but he never acted like his age and was always cautious over what his next move will be. Both royals were keeping their eyes on the older figure that was among their company, tense as they clearly were more used to facing him on the battlefield than in times of peace.

It was Leon who had broken the silence. "We should move the treaty signing forward."

"Oh?" Vayne looked over to Leon, dark eyes searching for answers within the younger monarch's. "And why is that?"

"I'm sure you would want to make a swift return home to Archadia before winter settles in. Archades is a long way from your borders after all."

"And I suppose you would want to get back to your home in Borealis, correct?" Ashe asked her friend, having some knowledge of Radiant Garden's climate in the winter seasons.

"The moors will get more boggy than usual if it doesn't snow. It'll be nearly impossible to cross."

"Afraid of getting your feet wet, Lord Leonhart?" Vayne dryly suggested, looking at him in an almost challenging way.

"Oh no. I don't fear my kingdom. I fear for your well being."

"My well being?"

"Didn't you know that the seas become more enraged when it is winter time? Surely you intend to travel by boat rather than trek through the mountains and forests of Archadia." The comment had been spoken with a little bit of mocking venom Leon would have to admit, but seeing that undying smug look falter slightly had given him a sense of satisfaction.

"Yes. Yes I suppose you are right." The onyx-haired man managed to regain his composure, taking a slow gulp of the wine that was in his ornamented goblet. Vayne knew that he had been made a fool of by a king that had never travelled by sea himself, but at the same time the young 'whelp' was of a higher status than him. It made Leon wonder what stung more to the more mature man. An Archadian soldier came in at that moment before some other remark meant for mocking was said, silencing the party. Vayne stood up. "If you would excuse me, majesties, I have something I must attend to."

Once he had turned to leave, an expression of relief fell upon the young queen's face. Her consort kept an even air about him, though his eyes watched Vayne with the same wariness that Leon felt. Vayne seemed to prolong his retreat, taking slow steps that made a soft chink against the stone floor.

Ashe heaved a sigh once he was gone. "That man is too much."

Leon took a huge swig of his drink, needing something to calm his already frayed nerves. Rasler slid an arm around Ashe's shoulder, soothingly rubbing it to assure her that she was doing fine. "He seems unwilling to sign this treaty," he commented, having seen through the masquerade. "I don't think he even plans to."

"But he has to. Vayne may be a calculating man in battle, but I'm sure he wouldn't want to be at war with us for much longer."

Leon slammed his goblet down. "That Vayne is a warring man. He only acts the part of the peacemaker." He glared at where the onyx-haired one had been, as if he were cursing the place so that Vayne would drop dead the next time he sat there. "We've seen how he sends his armies out to fight us. We know that he killed his older brothers without a hint of remorse. Why would he stop killing now?"

"Leon, you're no saint either," Ashe replied, knowing her friend was more suited to times of war, though he was an admirable leader during times of peace. "You have your fair share of blood on your hands."

To this, the scarred brunet could say nothing, though he looked like an angry lion that's pride had been slighted.

"And neither are we, Ashe," Rasler continued. "There are very few who don't play their part in our fight with the Archadians, or with any other state that threatens to conquer us."

"So do we believe him?" Leon asked. "Or should we continue to be wary of him?" He leaned back lightly, looking up at the decorated tiled ceiling that looked like the starry night sky. "Personally, I trust him as far as I can spit a rat."

"We shall see. We'll try to move the signing forward." Ashe then shivered lightly. "The sooner I get rid of those brutes from my home, the better."

* * *

Cloud battled with the Dalmascan guards' spears that blocked his way, pushing and shoving with all the strength he could muster. "You need to let me speak with the king!"

"He's already ordered us to escort you back to his quarters," one guard droned for what seemed like the hundredth time. Reks had already been pulled away for guard duty, leaving the concubine to face the obstacles alone.

"But it's important! I swear if you don't let me through-"

"We're only following orders," the other droned, still pushing the blond back. Cloud was not going to give up though. And knowing that words would not get what he wanted, he resorted to dirty tactics.

With a resounding kick to a guard's groin, followed by a punch to the other's ribs, Cloud pushed through, heading straight for the private dining room. Wherever it was, that is.

* * *

Leon had excused himself from the table, stating that he needed a moment of fresh air to calm his nerves. Vayne had still not returned to the table, which had only made the scarred brunet more agitated the more he tried to figure out if Vayne really was trustworthy or not.

As he walked through the ornate corridors of the palace, his thoughts only grew to become more troubled as he reflected upon the matter more. What's more, with no word of Cloud's arrival back in the palace, his worries only worsened.

If Cloud ever caught wind of how much of an effect he was having on him, Leon was sure he'd never hear the end of it.

"What do I do?" he whispered to himself as he walked into one of the palace's many atriums, looking up at the sky in the enclosed opening of the roof. There was a crescent moon out tonight. If Edea were here, she would've been prophesising the next course of action that Leon should take just by looking at the phase the moon was in. "What do you think I should do?" he asked again, talking to the spirits that waltzed in his mind.

They were silent.

And then something else broke the silence. "Leon!" The brunet looked down the hallway, seeing the had-been-absent concubine standing there, his cheeks flushed and panting heavily. He blinked, coming over to where the blond stood.

"What's the rush?"

"Are you alright?" the blond demanded, looking at him with a hard look. Leon had noticed a gash in the blond's side, the fabric cleanly cut.

"I should be asking you that." He pointed to the cut. "Where did you get that?"

"Got on the wrong side of a spear…but that's not the point!" Cloud shook his head, looking at Leon with a determined expression, something Leon hadn't seen in a while. "I think one of the Jenova's is here."

Leon just stared at Cloud, as if trying to comprehend what had just been said. He shook his head to clear it. Jenovas. Why hadn't he thought of that? "Are you absolutely sure on that?"

"I can't be certain, but I thought I saw one of them. Or at least, I caught a glimpse of them."

Cloud seemed to be quite sheepish as he trailed off, slowly realising he might've been quick to his conclusions. Leon sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "Don't worry me like that."

"But what if it's true? What if one of them is here?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

"Don't tell me you haven't even thought of the possibility!"

Leon kept silent, just taking Cloud by the wrist and leading him away from the atrium. A disgruntled sound escaped from the blond, glaring at the back of the brunet's head. "You haven't, have you?"

"Let's just get you somewhere where you're not going to be tempted to upset more Archadians."

"I resent that remark!"

"Just be quiet," Leon snapped, glaring at the blond sharply. Cloud looked shocked, looking away from him in frustration.

"Idiot…" he growled.

* * *

Ashe had slowly made her way over to the window in the small private dining quarters overlooking the royal gardens, looking to the crescent moon in hope for inspiration. Dare she trust an enemy she had come to hate so much and risk her people receive the inkling of resentment, or should she continue to war against him at the price of many more lives? Either way, she was not sure if the choice would be popular. She felt a soothing hand settle on the small of her back, rubbing it very, very gently.

"What do you want to do?" Rasler asked. His voice had always been a great comfort to the young queen, even in the darkest hours of the early days of her reign.

"We can't keep fighting a war that never seems to end," she whispered quietly, knowing that if she said what she truly thought, Leon would probably disagree or ignore it. That man was stubborn; there was no denying. "The more we fight, the more we forget the real reason for the conflict." She sighed. "I don't even remember why Dalamsca and Archadia are at war anymore. It all started when I was just a little girl."

Rasler smiled a little, leaning over to kiss her forehead affectionately. Ashe blushed a little; even now after two years of marriage she found herself acting awkwardly around him like an adolescent child around her first crush. "War is a battle of egos in the end. Everyone knows that deep down. The trick is how to resolve it without getting swept up into the storm."

"Is that meant to comfort me or to warn me?" Ashe mumbled, her hand creeping to Rasler's on the windowsill.

"To advise you," Rasler chuckled, taking her hand and squeezing it gently. "You have a good head on your shoulders Ashe. Maybe what this situation needed was a woman's touch." He then laughed slightly. "Besides, you know how embarrassing we men can get when self-prides are involved."

"Don't I?" she laughed quietly, having grown up in a court dominated by men. "Don't I know that…" She paused for a moment. "Rasler, I-"

Leon came in at that point, coughing for their attention. "Vayne hasn't come back yet?"

"He still hasn't arrived," Ashe replied, turning to greet him with a smile. "I hope you didn't force him into a corner to lick his wounds."

"I did no such thing," Leon smirked, though the thought of Vayne cowering in a corner had definitely lifted his mood a little. He sat back down at the table, relaxing against the cushions. The royal Dalmascan couple sat down with him, looking over to the Radiant Garden monarch. His once amused face had changed into seriousness. "So what do we do?"

"We can't continue this war. We'll have to place our trust that he won't try to break the treaty," Ashe responded, sounding very unsure of herself. "Otherwise, this war will keep on becoming worse and worse and more lives will be lost. I can't risk the lives of my people any more."

She knew that the answer had not been the one that Leon had wanted to hear, but the one that they all had to accept. Dalmasca's army was still recovering from the last battle they had with the Archadians, while only a small portion of Radiant Garden's troops were with their king. Not to mention that a war with Archadia could have some serious consequences on them since they conquered a new border with the Archadian Empire. He sighed, nodding his head. "Then I guess we have no choice then."

* * *

"Goddammit let me out!" Cloud screeched as he kicked and banged at the door in vain, enraged beyond belief that Leon had the audacity to lock him up when, as far as the blond could tell, he could possibly in danger. The tall iron-wrought doors refused to budge, holding their wretched captive in that large room, away from curious eyes. Cloud panted heavily as he paused for a moment, leaning against the door and sliding down to the floor, giving it one last punch for good measure. "Damn it…"

Leon didn't trust him. Cloud had gathered that fact. But he was telling the truth! He was genuinely concerned! Not just for Leon, but for everyone else too! Cloud pulled his legs to his chest, glaring at the floor as if it were its fault. If only his word had more weight to it, he had glowered. If only the last time Jenovas were mentioned he had not sided with them. That incident with Yazoo must have been influencing the brunet's judgement.

In hindsight, Cloud knew that he should never trust a Jenova as far as he could throw a stone –with exception to Riku since the younger Jenova brother had severed his ties to them completely. But at that time, when Cloud had wanted his freedom and his home more than anything, Yazoo's offer had sounding like the best possible course of action. But now…

"Now I know the Jenovas would kill me at the first possible chance…" He sighed quietly, pressing his head against his knees. "But they want to kill Leon first and foremost. Even an idiot would know that."

So what could he do? He was trapped in this room with no means of getting out. He couldn't force his way out of the door; couldn't get out through the balcony since it was too high up and there wasn't an opening below the room that was accessible. He pondered hard, trying to solve this conundrum.

And that's when he heard a scream come from the gardens.

* * *

Roxas' eyes were wide as twin moons, a look of shock glazed over them.

He had just seen someone killed. Murdered. An arrow was sticking out from where the unfortunate victim's heart should be, a look of pure surprise and terror crossing her soft features.

Her name was Alaleh. She was a maid in the queen's service. She had just come to fetch Roxas as a favour for Sir Axel who was currently dining with some of the knights in Dalmasca's service. She couldn't have been more than seventeen.

What shocked him the most was that only a few seconds ago, he had been in that exact same spot as she had been; leaning against the wall and watching the stars and the moon make their torturously slow procession across the sky.

He had no idea how long it had been while he was just staring at that dead brunette, her glassy eyes staring back at him soullessly, but it had been a pair of guards patrolling that had found them, raising the alarm immediately. At that, time seemed to rush by, with people running about to and fro trying to cover up the body and the bloody mess it left before others saw it, all the while ignoring Roxas as they tried to figure out why the poor and innocent serving girl had been murdered in such a callous way. It was only when he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder that he looked up, seeing the emerald-green eyes of Axel staring at him with severe worry.

"Are you alright?"

The small blond just nodded, but his body had now broken into shivers, a trembling hand reaching out to clutch Axel's tunic. The flame-haired man seemed to understand, helping his squire up to his feet slowly, supporting him as best as he could.

"Sir Axel, your orders?" one Radiant Garden soldier asked, standing rigid in position.

"Make sure that everyone knows in this palace knows what's going on, and for pities' sake make sure this doesn't get out into Rabanastre. If the common folk catch a whiff of it, they're going to be stringing up Archadians before we even know it." Axel knew far too well that this would be the excuse the common peasant would be looking for to get vengeance on their unwanted guests, and he knew that murders were not what he needed.

What's more, he knew that the girl hadn't been the target. She had just been unfortunate enough to be in the way. The real target had been Roxas, but whether it was because he was a thorn in someone's plot because of his regal roots or because he was affiliated with Radiant Garden was yet to be seen. Either way, it was clear to Axel that if Roxas wasn't safe, neither was the king or his concubine. He felt Roxas quake against him, holding onto his tunic in a death grip. "Make sure the king and his concubine are guarded carefully."

"Sir."

Basch on the other side of the room was barking out orders to double the guard surrounding the queen and her consort, his battle-hardened face wracked with rage that there was a killer in the castle. Axel had only walked off, almost carrying the traumatised squire away to the guest chambers he had been given. He was in no mood to leave Roxas alone after what had just happened.

* * *

Cloud had moved himself to the bed after overhearing the commotion as best as he could from the balcony, unable to make out though what had happened. As best as he could interpret it, someone had been hurt. Badly. He pounded the bed lightly, hating the feeling of being useless. "Stupid Leon…stupid lock…stupid, stupid, stupid."

He heard the clink of the lock being undone and the creak of the door opening, turning to it to see a blanched scarred brunet walking into the room almost ghostlike, in disbelief of what had happened. When his startled storm-coloured eyes rested on Cloud, he stormed over, cupping his face and looking straight into his face, as if searching for answers. Cloud only blinked in response…and then dared to ask, "What happened?"

"A servant's been murdered," Leon muttered, still staring at Cloud in that searching way.

"And you think I had something to do with it."

"It is entirely possible."

"But I warned you about something like this happening, so it couldn't have been me. Plus-" He lifted his arms up wide. "-there's nothing here that I could've used in this room and at this height. I wouldn't be able to see what was going on."

"And I doubt you'd target your own brother."

"Yes I-" Cloud stopped mid-sentence looking at him in shock. "WHAT?!"

"Axel thinks that it had been Roxas that had been targeted. However, it could also be possible that this is just our assassin having target practice."

"Is Roxas alright?" Cloud demanded, uncaring about whether or not the killer was practicing or not.

"Safe for now. You, on the other hand…" Leon leaned forward, his storm-coloured gaze locked with Cloud's vivid sapphire eyes. "I'm not letting you out of my sight until we get back to Radiant Garden."

"That's going to be hard for you," Cloud pointed out in a droning voice. "And I think you know that." Leon stared at him evenly. It began to dawn on Cloud. "You wouldn't dare."

"I'm keeping you in this palace at all times until the assassin is seized or until we get home."

"You can't keep me locked up in here!"

"Try me."

* * *

Roxas hadn't moved a centimetre from his spot on Axel's lap, clutching tightly to him, head buried in his shoulder. Axel felt a bit awkward, having long since let go of Roxas, leaning back a bit on the bed.

"You can let go you know. No one's going to try and kill you." Roxas had only tightened his hold. Axel sighed, patting his back lightly. "It's alright Roxas. I'm here." Roxas was still silent, not having spoken since the murder had happened. "You've seen people kill before. You weren't this scared then."

"…at least I saw who it was who killed them…"

Axel looked a bit shocked, glancing down at the boy. "You're afraid…?"

"I don't know who did it. I don't know who wants me…or anyone else dead. What if…what if…"

"What if…?"

"What if something happens to Cloud or…to you…?"

If there was one thing he was thankful for, it was the fact that Roxas wasn't looking at him, more content to hide his face away in his shoulder. If he hadn't, Axel would've had a hard time trying to hide a blush that was creeping on his face. And for the flame-haired warrior, this was completely unusual for him to even show an inkling of embarrassment or shyness at all. So instead, to cover it up, he smirked broadly.

"Hey, I don't die easily. Remember? I'm the walking medical miracle that somehow avoids amputations and infections after battles. Vexen's still trying to figure out how the hell I manage it."

"You're not immortal, Axel. You should know that by now."

"I know. What I'm trying to say is that you don't have to worry about me. Just worry about yourself."

"Easier said than done…"

Axel pursed his lips, wondering if he was going to try and pry Roxas off of him, or if he was going to leave him as he was. He decided that the latter would probably be best for now. "We're safe here. And the guards are going to be extra vigilant about their duties. I promise you Roxas, no one is going to get killed."

"You shouldn't make those promises."

"What else is going to comfort you then?" A small shrug answered Axel's question, making the man shake his head lightly. "What am I going to do with you?" Another shrug. Roxas still hadn't shown his face. "Well…I guess we're in for a long night then. Hope you're comfortable."

Roxas barely stirred from his position. Axel hadn't the heart to move him. He placed a small press of lips on Roxas' temple, just like he had done months ago when Roxas first started to settle into life in Aurelias. He felt Roxas only tighten his hold a bit, before releasing it, signalling that he had finally calmed down to sleep.

Axel hadn't seen the bright red tinge that had graced Roxas' face.

* * *

After hearing the final locks and bolts being clicked into place, Ashe sprawled across the large bed she shared with her husband, mentally exhausted from the day's events. With murdered maids, injured soldiers, and possible assassination attempts on top of tense treaty talks, it was all in a day's work for Dalmasca's youthful queen.

"Do you think all these measures will really keep me safe?" she asked Rasler, who was currently double-checking the doors and windows. "I feel more like a caged bird than a protected queen."

Rasler smiled, coming over to the bed and laying next to her, wrapping an arm carefully around her waist as if she were made out of fragile glass. His armour lay discarded in its compartments, laying in wait to be worn again the following day. Softly, he left a ghostly kiss on her neck, tangling their fingers together with his free hand. "Would caged birds be allowed to sleep and be with their husbands?"

Ashe merely smiled, soft breaths escaping from her soft lips under her husband's kisses.

A marriage of convenience it was supposed to be. And yet, Ashe had been happy, maybe even too happy, to marry Rasler. If one were to be honest, Ashe would've admitted that she loved Rasler. She was one of those few lucky ones who had been in love with her intended. And fewer were those who had a husband that loved them back.

"You were going to tell me something before Leon interrupted," Rasler whispered, lavishing her jaw line with his attention now. Ashe had to hold back a content sigh in order to answer him.

"I'll tell you after the treaty has been signed."

"Tell me now."

"Be patient. I want the news to be joyous, not greeted with fear."

"That only further scares me, my dear."


	38. Grief

**A/N:** This is another epic chapter. It half near killed me X-X but I think it had to be this length for the sake of ending the tale in Dalmasca and for the sake of the word that would best describe the chapter. I just hope that it isn't too much (it's already nearly 7000 words long if you don't include this Author's Note).

I'd like to apologise too. I've just hit a point in my life where it's slammed me against the wall with a tonne of workload with the strength of an elephant's trunk and then some. So...next chapter(s) may come slower than average. It also means I have very little time to actually right a decent Author's Note right now so I'm just going to quickly thank everyone for reading and reviewing:

**THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN READING AND REVIEWING! YOU ARE ALL SPECIAL AND GET THE SPECIAL-PEOPLE-COOKIES! (P.S. The story has gone over 105,000 hits!)**

Please read and review! For reviews are my hi-fi bars (I am once again dieting! Wish me luck!)

* * *

**Grief**. Like many things, it came in different forms. It could be as small as the loss of a favourite toy or ornament, or as large as the death of a loved one. For Ashe, her life had been one great tragedy followed by another.

This time was no different as she trailed behind the funeral parade, clothed in black traditional royal mourning robes.

This is the story of how her husband died.

* * *

The day leading up to the treaty signing had been torturous, and murderous, with many more innocent servants and soldiers being injured, or worse, killed, by a mysterious assassin. All that was known of the silent killer was that he struck when people of importance –whose deaths' would affect any and all of the courts that had congregated in Rabanastre–, were around and that he was clearly a skilled archer, or a lousy shot.

Basch fon Ronsenburg had been the first to be hit that day. He was talking to a young soldier called Reks about security around the Dalmascan royal couple when he was hit in the shoulder by a solitary arrow. Any lower, and it might have pierced the soft skin of his back and the precious organ that pumped life around his matured and battle-weary body. With Basch now being cared for in the palace infirmary, the lead of command was passed onto Vossler York Azelas.

The next attack had happened after the commotion surrounding Captain Ronsenburg's attempted assassination. Cloud had been brooding in King Leon's room, muttering curses and oaths of the many ways he was going to kill his master as he leaned against the balcony when, just as he turned to greet a servant who had brought up a meal for him, an arrow clattered on the exact spot he had been only a moment ago. Needless to say, the moorland king was in uproar about it once he heard, changing his plans of locking his concubine away for his safety to having him guarded all hours of the day seeing as now their room was no longer deemed safe.

Moments before Leon had ordered that, just as he appeared to make sure that his concubine was safe, the archer made another attempt, this time the arrow grazing the king's neck as it flew like a swallow, piercing the bed that was still in disarray from the subsequent wrestle the two men had had the previous night about Cloud's protection. To this, Leon had become ever more wary, now carrying his exotic blade around wherever he went as a means of his own safety.

"Two attempts of importance in one day," Vossler bemoaned, sitting on one side of his superior as he pressed his clasped fingers to his lips in thought. "And many more that seem to act as target practice."

"How many more?" Basch gruffly asked, staring up at the ceiling as he heard how the worst possible thing he could have thought to happen came true.

"Eight in all," Axel replied, seated on the other's side. "Three of them were murders. The other five are either injured or unharmed."

"How many unharmed?"

"Only two. The king of Radiant Garden's concubine and a servant that happened to get behind a pillar in time," Vossler reported. Basch only sighed in exasperation, not sure what else could be done.

"Here's something of interest," Axel added. "All of the attacks were on Dalmascans or citizens of Radiant Garden."

"Which means that it's entirely possible that the killer is an Archadian, or an ally of the Archadian Empire," Vossler continued.

"If you ask me though, the whole thing reeks of Archadian plotting."

"But we've nothing to prove that it is just that."

"Then let's find a way to prove it is them!"

"Axel," Basch rumbled, looking over to the flame-haired moorland warrior. "I hope your concerns and feelings about the possibility of your squire's demise isn't affecting your judgement."

"Only my gut instinct affects my judgement," Axel retorted, remembering full well what happened last time he allowed his emotions to get the better of him.

"I doubt it," Vossler muttered under his breath, but Axel had the hearing of a bat.

"Like to say it to my face?"

"Stop the pair of you!" Basch spoke over the both of them before they escalated into one of their heated arguments. "Axel, remember our position. We are on the verge of a possible end to this war. Any accusations could threaten it. So please, whatever opinions you may have, keep a lid on them until the Archadians are well out of our borders."

Grudgingly, they complied, though Vossler rather spitefully coughed in the ancient Dalmascan tongue, "Oversensitive git." Basch gave him a warning look, before addressing them both.

"Keep a good eye on the place, and if you're going to sniff out some evidence pointing to someone, make sure Lord Vayne doesn't pick up on it." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Take special care around his new bulldog."

"Bulldog?" Axel asked curiously.

"You haven't seen Lord Kadaj yet?"

* * *

If there was one person Cloud wouldn't have minded seeing the last of, it was Kadaj of House Jenova. While Yazoo was a silver-tongued charmer, and Loz a likeable character, Kadaj was someone that came across as a person to fear for his tyrant like temper. Some said that he got this trait from his older brother Sephiroth's rare bursts of terrifying anger, but Cloud had never seen Sephiroth angry. Or at least, he was lucky enough not to see what he was like when he did lose his temper. Kadaj had, once or twice, provided a small preview of what it could be like back in Cloud's childhood. It was this temper that made Cloud and Riku wary of him, and also made them do their utmost to shield Roxas from seeing it. Hence, Roxas had never seen Kadaj and was therefore more disturbed by the almost unreal Yazoo.

So for Cloud to see Kadaj, standing there on a balcony looking into the throne room where the treaty would be signed, as he was just about to come around the corner, it had startled him greatly. And he was immediately thankful that he had decided to put that headscarf on to conceal his identity while being shepherded around by willing guards.

On the other hand, this only made him more wary, and it also gave him a bit of glee to know that, for once, Leon would have to admit he was wrong if _three_ people had seen the House Jenova member in the flesh. However, this didn't mean he wanted to speak with him. If anything, he wanted to find Leon and tell him what had happened.

"Ah, Kadaj, there you are."

Cloud blinked as he saw Lord Vayne appear from around the corner, patting the young silver-haired Jenova on the shoulder as he looked out to the same view. Although he knew he should leave and report to Leon, he found himself oddly drawn, hushing the guards with a simple hand movement as he peered around the corner.

"My lord," Kadaj greeted solemnly, his eyes fixed on the throne still. "How goes your day?"

"Perfectly well," Vayne smirked, leaning against the balustrade. "Better than either the Dalmascan court's or those of Radiant Garden's."

"That's good."

Cloud could only wonder why Kadaj was eyeing the room so intently. Though it was certainly sounding an alarm in his mind at just how intent Kadaj's posture was.

"Preparing yourself for tomorrow then?"

"I'm not going to miss this time, I assure you."

Miss what, Cloud had thought, leaning a little more around the corner.

"I have every confidence in you. Besides, weren't all the times before just practice?"

Cloud almost gasped, the final pieces in the puzzle sliding into place in his mind. As he took steps back to make a soundless getaway, he forgot about his escorts were behind him, causing their armour and spears to clang lightly. Kadaj had the hearing of a bat; Cloud was in no doubt that he would've heard something.

"Is someone there?"

"It might just be some guards patrolling Kadaj. Don't bother them."

"Lord Vayne, being lax is probably your biggest fault," Kadaj said rather bluntly. It was amazing he wasn't suffering repercussions for it, considering his lower status.

"And you being obsessive over small details is yours," Vayne countered. "Besides, all we're talking about is whether you're going to best me in hunting or not, correct?"

If Cloud were gullible, he would've heaved a sigh of relief and leave it at that. But he wasn't. Far from it. And Kadaj's delayed response had made him even more suspicious.

"Yes…my lord."

Cloud took steps back, trying to act normal but his mind was going a thousand miles per minute with every thought. But it all now made sense. A continued war and a possible Archadian victory over Dalmasca would work well in the Archadian Empire's favour, since they could employ the surrendered Dalmascan army to fight against Radiant Garden's small empire should they ever act upon coming to Dalmasca's rescue. But taking over one country would be easy if you take out the leader while they had no heirs to speak of. And Queen Ashelia definitely fitted into that category.

Another matter to take into account was if said leader had, possibly, a child or sickly heir (or even both). Leon snugly fitted into that group, having only Sora –a child who could be very, _very_ sickly indeed (though to his credit, he had been getting much stronger). Either way, if Kadaj and Vayne were plotting what he thought that they were plotting, both leaders were in danger. And to Cloud, it seemed more likely that Leon would be the target since he had that brush with death earlier that day.

* * *

Tifa grimaced a little bit as she opened her eyes, feeling her side sting with the potency of a thousand bee stings.

"Careful," a soft voice whispered. It belonged to a soft-spoken matured man, clearly a doctor from his uniform. He helped her to sit up in the bed. "That arrow went very deep into your side."

"Is that girl…?"

"She's in shock, but is very indebted to you." Tifa looked up to see who the second –and very familiar– voice belonged to. She bowed her head deeply, unable to properly curtsey due to her wound.

"My lord, it's very kind of you to visit me."

"It wouldn't seem right not to see you Tifa." Leon sat down on the bedside, the exotic blade he had taken to carrying around glimmering in the small amount of light in the servant's quarters. "Do you think you can answer a few questions for me? About this incident?"

"I think I can," Tifa murmured, though it still seemed so hazy in her mind. "Though, do forgive me if I cannot give you answers you want."

"Just answer me what you can," Leon said, his voice calm but serious. "Did anything seem out of the ordinary when you were going about your work?"

Tifa shook her head. "Nothing. Everyone was frightened of course but…there was no person acting strangely, or any other thing out of place."

"Your injury happened a little bit after that Dalmascan guard was shot, correct?"

"Yes. The girl I saved was his lover I heard." Leon leaned back a little, as if deep in thought. Tifa very carefully asked, "How does this have anything to do with these shootings…?"

"Maybe it's nothing…or maybe it's something. It could be a cryptic message for all we know." He looked over to her with one storm-coloured eye. "Did you see anyone that looked like they shouldn't have been there?"

"No…" Tifa regretfully answered. Leon sighed, standing up and straightening his back. "Wait…" He turned to face her. "I think…I think I did see someone…"

He leaned over to her, taking her hand very carefully. "Can you tell me anything about this person?"

"I only caught a glimpse of him…or her…but I just saw silver…"

"Silver?"

"An accessory maybe?"

"Or a piece of armour. Or the killer's hair colour."

"Hair colour? You don't mean…"

"If it is who I believe it is, then I don't blame Cloud for hating me even more than he does now." He turned to leave, talking long strides in his step. "Take care of her. She's very valuable to my household."

* * *

Cloud's strides were getting longer and faster as he tried to find Leon or someone he could trust; so much so that his armoured minders were finding it hard to keep up. However, Cloud had underestimated just how expansive Rabanastre Palace was.

"This is hardly the time to get yourself lost," Cloud grumbled, more towards Leon than to himself despite the brunet's lack of presence. "Where the hell could you be?"

"Maybe," one guard muttered as he and his partner finally caught up, "If you stayed in the one place the king _would_ go, you'd find him quicker."

Cloud glared at the one who dared to speak, knowing that a glare was his only weapon against men who are equipped with spears and only had a fear of their liege's temper to stop them from killing the blond on the spot. "You two keep up; otherwise it's your heads for wall hangings and your guts for garters." He gave a twisted smirk. "Trust me; I've seen such things done by your king before."

"Th-that's slander!" the guard cried.

"Want to test the theory?"

"No…" the other responded, pulling his partner back. "Go right ahead…_sir_."

Cloud shook his head, once more taking his long and fast strides, just annoyed that Leon wasn't just going to appear in front of him and save him the aggravation. Of course, he had thought, saying what he had wouldn't do him any favours either with Leon's proposition concerning Hollow Bastion. He rubbed his face in annoyance. Since when did saving his tormentor become such a task he would be vehemently take to?

"Ah, there he is." The guard pointed towards a small courtyard that was close to the women's quarters. Leon was there, but he wasn't alone. Queen Ashelia was speaking with him, her face a picture of worry and uncertainty. Leon shared the same sentiments. Cloud made his way forward, knowing that whatever it was, both needed to know what he had just seen.

"You're pregnant?" Cloud almost skidded to a halt when he heard the brunet say that, blinking as he watched them converse with each other.

"I am."

"And you failed to mention this to anyone?"

"I don't want people to start panicking about this even more than they are now."

"Ashe, you can't keep this a secret forever. Your husband is bound to notice, as will the doctors and the maids that work with them."

"I know that. But I also know that if I announce it now, it will give our assassin more reason to kill me."

"So you're going to lower the risk of you getting killed then by saying nothing?" Leon quirked an eyebrow, clearly questioning the queen's actions.

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what is it that you do mean?"

Cloud took the moment to come in at that point, realising it wasn't two people that were in any real danger.

It was two adults and an unborn child that were in danger. "Leon!"

The brunet seemed to stiffen at that, as did Ashelia since both their backs were turned to the concubine. Leon turned swiftly, glaring at Cloud for daring to use his name in front of the queen instead of his title. "Cloud, did you just…"

"Overhear what you were saying?" he finished, standing right in front of them, armed escort in tow. "Yes. Which only makes what I've discovered even more unsettling."

"I don't think this is the time to discuss conspiracy theories right now," Leon hissed, grabbing the blond by the arm. Just from his tone and the way Leon's scar had crinkled, Cloud could tell he was already stressed about this whole matter with assassins, secret pregnancies, peace treaties and murder.

"This isn't a theory! I have witnesses!" Cloud pointed to the guards. "They saw him too!"

"Him?" Queen Ashelia asked, tilting her head lightly.

"Who's 'him'?" Leon demanded, his scar starting to smooth over again as he forgot his initial frustrations.

"He's called-"

"Ahh, my lord and lady." All of them turned and saw Vayne making their way over to them, a silver-haired young man following him. Cloud held back the urge to gulp. Leon's eyes seemed to harden at the sight of them. Vayne smiled disarmingly. "Still no word of our most hated enemy's whereabouts and identity?"

"None, Lord Vayne," the queen replied, though it seemed out of forced politeness. "But there has been no more murders or grievous injuries."

"How fortunate. Maybe he has realised that his happy hunting is setting a trail for us to follow."

"How fortunate it is that no others are being hurt," Leon spat back. "How fortunate that none of the killed or injured are any of your people."

"Are you claiming that it could possibly be one of my own people?" Vayne suggested, though he didn't seem to be fazed at all at the subtle accusation. Cloud wasn't falling for it. He had overheard his disguised conversation with the prime suspect standing right beside him.

"The king is just pointing out that the very man who killed four people and injured five more could be standing right next you," Cloud remarked, surprising Leon who just glanced down at him with one eye. Kadaj next to Vayne glared hatefully at the blond. Vayne seemed to falter a little, but it was barely noticeable.

"Well, the dog speaks," he taunted, raising his brows. "But clearly has no manners."

"And what of yours?" It was Cloud's turn to be surprised by the brunet's counter in his defence. Cloud honestly thought that…Leon would just be silent and punish him later for stepping out of line. "His brother certainly wasn't well-mannered when he paid subsequent private visits to my summer home without my knowledge."

"Oh, so you know Sir Kadaj already?" Vayne asked, clearly ignoring the younger brunet's comment. "He arrived from Archadia only just yesterday, and had expressed a keen interest in the peace treaty between our nations."

Cloud wanted to gag. Kadaj was about as interested in them as he was interested in climbing the ranks as quickly as possible by using all means necessary. Even murder. He held his tongue though. Although he had overheard them talking about something that had a deeper meaning to it, he had no proof that Kadaj was indeed the killer everyone was so fearing of.

"Not personally," Leon replied, one eye on Vayne and the other on the Jenova brother. "But I know him well enough."

"Excellent. Then there is no need for introductions then."

"If you would excuse me my lords," the queen started, at long last finding her tongue in this matter. "I agreed with my husband that I would meet him in a small while." She took her leave, suddenly flanked by group of ten of her guards as she went deeper into the palace. Cloud wondered if she and Leon had been overheard by Vayne and Kadaj too. It certainly would make her seem more of a desirable target.

"I'm afraid I have to take my leave as well," Leon stated, grabbing Cloud by the wrist. "Matters to be attended to."

"Go, go. Let me not be the cause of your delay," Vayne waved him off, smirking very lightly. Leon needed no second bidding, dragging the concubine along with him, guards struggling to follow in his wake.

And Cloud knew that Leon had figured out who the culprit was.

* * *

The night had been a restless one for all who dwelled in Rabanastre palace as the threat of more deaths loomed in a shadowy cloak. Many found it hard to sleep easily since the assassin-archer had proved to not be at all discriminate with who he targeted. None found it more hard though then Roxas, who hadn't left Axel's chambers all day, too scared to leave the sanctuary that Axel had offered to him.

He had seen death before. He had seen soldiers die right before his eyes in that long ago battle at Hollow Bastion. He had seen people executed before. He had even seen Axel kill before, both in the heat of battle and also when he was trying to protect Roxas. But Roxas had never _**–never–**_ seen someone die so close to him, or seen their eyes as they glazed over in death like marbles. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see her eyes glowing in the Dalmascan moonlight, void of life, filled to the brim with cold demise. And what gave him most horror was when those eyes were multiplied and given to people he had grown close to, Death standing amongst them in his dark billowing shroud of inky night, wielding a bow and arrow made from the bones of human man and child and aiming for his small vulnerable heart.

Such an image had made Roxas ever suspicious and paranoid, barely trusting any who came to console him or make sure he was well fed. He appreciated their sympathy though, even if he second-guessed them.

"You're still awake?" Axel had asked as he came through the door, his watch now over.

"I can't sleep…" He was looking up at the window, bed covers over his knees, fresh night tunic hanging loosely over his shoulders that revealed the pale flesh of his neck and collarbones. The bed creaked a little as Axel's weight pressed against it, pulling the young boy close to him.

"Try not to think too much about it. It'll do you no good."

"Easier said then done Axel…"

"I know. But I also know that thinking too much on something you couldn't prevent makes people go insane."

"What makes you so sure of that?"

"I've been there before." His voice was soft, almost inaudible, while Axel's grip had tightened just a small bit around Roxas' small frame. "I don't want to see you sinking into that hellhole too."

Roxas remained silent. Although his body was flushing red from the closeness, and his heart was thumping like a war drum in his ears, he was unable to think about anything other than that awful night. Having Axel close by was comforting though, Roxas had thought.

"…I…can I stay here again?" Roxas asked quietly, too afraid to leave the room in fear of seeing more deaths, and too scared of seeing more soulless eyes that looked into an empty shell. He couldn't. He just couldn't leave this place. He turned to look over his shoulder, his piteous sapphire hued eyes locking with Axel's emerald ones. He had a kind smile on his face.

"Of course."

* * *

As dawn arose in the desert arid sky, all who were involved with all parties of the treaty signing were tense, never sure when their silent and faceless assassin would strike, or who. Fortunately, that morning he was quiet and absent. But so were the usual normalities such as happy banter or one of Axel and Vossler's legendary duels of sharp words and even sharper weapons.

As far as all were concerned, the sooner this peace treaty was over and the Archadians leave, the better.

Leon had to admit that there seemed no peaceable person with the Archadian party, since the little Lord Larsa had suddenly been taken ill and was disallowed from tagging along with his older brother. The few times Leon and Ashe had met him they had found him to be a quiet yet charming envoy for peace, hating warfare and its unnecessary deaths. However, Vayne always was close by to make sure the little lord didn't speak out of line of the Archadian ideal of warring for land and fortune. Without Larsa and his words of peace, Archadians were far more atrocious than ever.

And it was very clear to him and to the queen of Dalmasca that Vayne had no intention of keeping to what was truly on the peace treaty as he rambled on how it would benefit all –all which he was concerned with of course. These words of integrating Archadians, Dalmascans and Gardenians were utter twaddle. Archadians wouldn't come close to Radiant Garden with a barge pole since Leon's people were unwelcoming to those that dared to rival them. Dalmascans hated Archadians with venomous ardour for the sheer amount of Dalmascan blood that had been spilled by them. If anything, Vayne sounded like he was suggesting that Archadia take over all the affairs of all three kingdoms and slowly place his hand into his rivals' courts and pull the strings of their decision making.

Leon was loath to sign such an agreement if it was the case, but he knew Ashe and her people could war no longer with such large dents in their armour. They needed time to recover and repair the damage. This peace treaty would give them just that.

* * *

Cloud had found himself watching the proceedings from the door leading into the throne room, appalled that Lord Vayne was suggesting that Archadia would take care of them all. Cloud could tell that, if Vayne waited patiently, sooner or later both the kingdom of Dalmasca and the empire of Radiant Garden would fall into the Archadian Empire.

Cloud also knew that Kadaj was absent, and hence he was truly patrolling around the area in search of the silver-haired one. If he was meaning to kill one of the royals, then the treaty signing would fall apart. Of course, he had to lose the guards to do it. He was thankful that one of the Dalmascan servants he had befriended had decided to help him by drugging his usual escorts with a heavy musk that was used in the old king's harem. A small dose would relax a concubine; a large amount could knock a heavily armed guard out.

He silently moved away, keeping the long billowing navy cloak around his body, making sure the hood hid his face as he moved around the hallways that surrounded the throne room. The first floor had been secured, with guards posted at every nook, cranny and corner. He was making his way up to the second floor, carefully keeping note of his surroundings. If Kadaj was up here, then he'd be at that balcony he had seen him the yesterday. Otherwise…Kadaj could be at any open space.

* * *

Rasler could only watch as his wife and the king of the moorland kingdom argued hotly with the Archadian Empire's spokesman, having to restrain himself from rolling his eyes with annoyance.

Fighting did very little to solve problems. But strong egos would always clash and collide. It was a given. As the queen's consort however, he had very little power in the dealings of foreign policy, but he did have some influence. He had told Ashe to be wary of any notion of Archadia trying to take over the proceedings, and to act as the medium between the two men that had found no form of friendship with each other. In the end, Dalmasca would be in the midst of it and, although he knew his wife would gladly take up the sword and aid her close friend and ally, Dalmasca was in no shape to fight after a plague and a war.

What was important for now was independent peace, until Dalmasca was fully recovered. The kingdom needed to be safe for the sake of the people. And for their small but slowly growing family. Rasler smiled a little at that thought.

And Ashe thought that he hadn't noticed the difference in her. What kind of husband would he be if he hadn't realised?

* * *

Cloud saw him. Concealing himself around the corner, he saw the hooded archer, short bow in hand, peering into the throne room from a small slitted window. This meant that, while the guards were quite satisfied that no one would pass them without being seen, it meant that if a clever person were to get here early and conceal themselves from view, they had clear shots of everyone inside the throne room and no one to disturb them.

How on earth could guards be so _blind_ and so _**stupid**_ to not realise this?!

He saw the arrow being notched into the bow string, and the string being pulled back. Without a second thought, Cloud tackled the archer, screaming at the top of his voice, "Assassin!"

* * *

Leon had flinched when he heard the familiar voice screeching the warning, immediately grabbing the sword hilt and looking around wildly for wherever they were. Vossler and Axel sprung into action, as had Rasler who moved Ashe behind him.

A move that proved to be fatal as an arrow struck the soft flesh of his neck in the small opening of his armour.

"Rasler!" the queen screamed.

"My liege?" Axel awaited for orders, chakrams dancing lightly in his fingers.

"Take some men and find Cloud. He could be in danger," Leon said quietly, fully drawing his exotic blade out and holding it straight out at Vayne. The onyx-haired man looked speechless, almost perplexed.

"Lord Leon?"

"You stay where you are," Leon growled, one eye on the Archadians that were edging ever closer to him. Axel, although unhappy with leaving his liege behind, obeyed, speeding off to find Cloud and the assassin. Vossler came forward, standing above Rasler and the queen protectively, holding his own sword out. "Where," Leon started, "is Kadaj?"

* * *

Cloud was looking into the eyes of Kadaj, hissing as he tried to stop the blood on his shoulder from pouring out of his body. Kadaj had used a knife on him. Cloud had been fortunately enough that it hadn't been fatal.

"You're too persistent," Kadaj smirked, though his eyes harboured only hatred for the ex-prince. "Why did you suddenly protect the very man who captured you, raped you of your dignity?"

"Because I don't agree with regicide, nor can I perform the act," Cloud growled, glaring at him. "Something you and your brother Sephiroth could do easily as it seems."

"The old fool was in the way. Much like you are now."

"Just what are your plans with Hollow Bastion?" Cloud snarled. He was sick of the lies and the fact that he didn't know a thing of what had really happened in that war between Radiant Garden and Hollow Bastion. Kadaj had the answers he wanted. Or at least part of it.

"Wouldn't you like to know? But, I think you should ask your father that when you reach Hell." He edged closer to Cloud. The blond shuffled back, wishing to the heavens that he had a weapon. Even a small dagger would have sufficed. Just as he thought that there was going to be no escape for him, he heard a woosh go past his ear as a chakram planted itself on Kadaj's shoulder, forcing him back with a terrible scream. The crimson blood of Kadaj splashed against the silver and fiery red of the chakrams.

"Well, King Leon's going to be ample pleased with this little development."

Axel. Cloud had never felt so relieved to hear his voice in his life. And he came with reinforcements. One guard bent down to check on the concubine as Axel and the rest loomed over to Kadaj.

"I'm untouchable," Kadaj hissed at Axel, yanking the chakram out of his arm and tossing it to the floor. "You kill me now, and the Archadian Empire will crush Dalmasca like a bug, and then Radiant Garden will follow."

"You're right. I can't touch you. However…" Axel had a devious smirk on his face. "You killed Lord Rasler. Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn. Especially if she wields a sword."

Kadaj only smirked back. "You'll find that I have my ways of slipping out of a cage like a snake." With that, Kadaj made a run for it. The guards went chasing after him, their armour and spears clanging against each other like ferocious war beasts. Axel had stayed behind, going over to Cloud.

"Are you alright?" he asked, eyeing the heavy bleeding.

"I…I think I'll be fine," Cloud said faintly, the pain now only searing through his body. Axel smiled a bit, helping the concubine up with aid of the guard that stayed behind to help.

"You'll be hailed as a hero once we get back, you know."

"I'm no hero. I couldn't save Lord Rasler."

"Well, the doctors might. He was still breathing when I left him to come find you."

"I pray…that they do save him…" Cloud closed his eyes, slumping a little. "I'm just glad…that I could play some part in this…"

* * *

Rasler lived for a small while, though the doctors could do nothing to save him once they arrived on the scene. He could no longer breathe properly and he drowned in his own blood, holding onto his wife's hand the whole time as if to comfort her as she cried over him. His death had been quiet, dignified, and serene, amongst all the chaos of Archadians being forced out once it became clear that the killer was indeed on the Archadian side.

It was needless to say but, although many had wanted to kill all the Archadians that were in Rabanastre, Queen Ashelia's advisors knew that this would be the reaction the Archadian Empire would need to declare war on Dalmasca again. They had ordered for the Archadians to leave swiftly and with nary a scratch on them. Any that dared to harm them would be executed. This, however, did not stop people from showing their anger once word spread of Lord Rasler's death. They threw rotten fruit, vegetables, old bird carcasses and anything vile to hand at them, until the Archadians became the laughing stock of their Empire once they left the city walls almost covered in all manner of garbage and waste.

Kadaj was never found. The guards lost him in the palace walls as he jumped over into the city. And though all guards were on the lookout for the silver-haired man, he had disappeared like a snake into the long grass.

Mourning had soon gripped the kingdom of Dalmasca. A week later, Rasler's funeral party had been held. Leon had stayed behind a little longer, having sent news to Borealis of Rasler's tragic end. The service had been brief and solemn, but heartfelt as moments of his life were recounted, including the first time that he and the queen met. The queen had been reduced to silent tears beneath her mourning veil, clutching to her skirts. A widow and a mother of a dead man's child. How could she ever tell anyone of this when the child's father's life had been cut short so suddenly?

And so here they were now, two old friends in the queen's study. Ashe was looking out over the gardens. She hadn't gone to the burial, the burden of saying goodbye being too much on her fragile soul. Her hands were placed over her stomach. In a few months, it would bulge in the telltale sign of pregnancy.

"What will you tell them?" Leon asked quietly, dressed in black to respect his friend's husband.

"I'll tell them…that I am mothering the child of a hero that all Dalmasca should be proud of," she said, drawing in a huge breath to calm her down from the onslaught of tears. "And that we will continue to try to be peaceful with Archadia, though we will not allow them to come into our kingdom again." She sighed heavily, looking into the garden with glistening wet eyes. "He had so many hopes and dreams for this kingdom. And now…gone. All of it."

"Gone, but not forgotten," Leon whispered, squeezing her shoulder gently. "He told you of them all, shared all that he hoped and wished for with you. He would've told you everything."

"He has. He bared his whole soul out to me. And now…" She took another deep breath, trying to stop more tears from falling. "Now he's gone. And he never knew about…about the child."

"I think he did." Ashe looked up at Leon. "He was smiling more. Did you never notice how he acted around you?" He smiled gently, before falling back to his more familiar stoic expression. "I'm not sure if I'm the one to give out advice but…I'm sure Rasler would be happy if you gave him all those hopes and dreams life."

"…I plan to."

"And Ashe," Leon whispered, his voice getting lower and lower. "Promise me one thing."

"What is it?"

"Don't ever act out of vengeance." He sighed, looking up at the sky. "You end up wondering if it was all worth it." Ashe looked at him with a quizzical look, never having seen such a remorseful expression of the scarred brunet's face.

"Leon…thank you, for being here."

"You're welcome." He let go of her shoulder. "I leave for Radiant Garden tomorrow. I can't delay the journey any further." He turned to her briefly. "But remember, if you need anything, anything at all, you'll always be welcomed in Radiant Garden."

"I know that," Ashe smiled weakly. "Just as you are here." She then came up to Leon, closing the distance. "I…I know this will sound unlike me but…hold me…"

Leon would have backed off. As a king with a foreign queen who was only newly widowed, it would have kicked off rumours of an affair or some form of engagement or even give Ashe or himself a bad image of themselves. But as a friend, Leon did the only thing that any good friend would do when they needed some form of comfort, no matter how awkward it might seem.

With the awkwardness of an adolescent youth around a girl who was crying over a sad event, Leon embraced Ashe and allowed her to let go of her tears onto his shoulder, helping to carry the burden of the immense sadness and grief she felt.

Grief. It was horrible. But with the passing of grief, came the coming of joy. And Leon knew that joy was definitely on Ashe's way.


	39. Winter

**A/N:** Heya! Back for another update (and we finally come back to Radiant Garden)! Things have been starting to settle down a little bit now, and the diet's been going well, so this could mean that (as well as getting skinny) updates should be coming a bit more frequently. Things should start to settle down in the story too XD if only for a little while.

So thank you to these lovely people: WolfclawlovesClay, bliss, Timothy the paperclip, Gabriella Silverwood, Marlyn Strife, ForeverFallen304, hollowFAERIE, Glomping Kawaii (x3), KitaraStrife (x2), BlackSerenity, Chocola Emo Shizzle, Namesake, Uchiha Sasha, Lady_Chicobo, Billie the fourth sage, CloudedMirror, Yoru no Kuronue, yaoi-midnight-mistress, The Only Love For Soujiro Seto, Alfsigr, Valinda Blade, ForForever, K/C916, Uncertain, EriNicoleAndUKnowIt, becauseimthefavorite, LiteraryMirage, you broke a promise, SUFFERINGLOSTSOUL, tuneia, DrumlineSuperAsh0095, Cookie-Mon, The-Written-Rhapsody, Empress Satori, Broken Mushroom, Shadow Cat17, Concise Complexity, FlurryDivider, foxyaoi123, ObSeSsEd WiTh ROXAS, and Izzy-Lawliet.

Keep on reviewing! For they are my low-fat chocolate and raspberry mousse!

* * *

**Winter.** Just as autumn had blazed a trail through summer, the chill of the snowy months cleaved its way as the earth began to die off and hibernate till spring brought about the world's rebirth. It was a time of change and transformation. And for Cloud, it had been certainly rife with them.

When they had arrived at Borealis, Leon seemed like a ghost of himself, solemnly working all hours of the day and night, barely sleeping and barely even eating. And he was never cruel to Cloud like he had been in the past. He was far kinder. Almost too kind even for him. The extent of this newfound compassion had gone as far as Leon giving Cloud a ring that bore the royal crest, thus giving Cloud access around the castle and in the citadel itself should he so wish to go out to mingle with the townsfolk as the king had promised before they landed in the desert city. Cloud hadn't found the courage to go into the town however.

People's opinions and attitudes to Cloud had also changed dramatically since Dalmasca. If Cloud offered to help (on the rare chance that he had summoned up the strength of will to do it), they accepted it gratefully. And idle tongues held no venom for the blond anymore. He was a hero in their eyes, though he did not feel like one at all.

And even he had changed. He wasn't haughty as he had been, though he was still stubborn at best. He actually found himself befriending many of the people that lived and worked in the king's household, and realising that they were better company than what he had when he was the third prince of Hollow Bastion. Cloud also slowly began to realise that his feelings for Leon were changing too, though the shape of them wasn't very obvious to him.

The only things that seemed to stay the same were Tifa's mild scoldings when Cloud crossed the fine line of being stubborn and being too prideful, Cid's almost affectionate insults ("Well if it ain't the _conquered_ hero!"), Zexion's knack of being able to know everything that was going on, and Sora's boundless energy, though there was much more of it. Poor Riku was finding it hard to keep up with him.

Cloud did have to admit, more to himself than anything else, that he liked the changes. Especially the added freedom he got from Leon. It meant he could see Fenrir more or go wherever he pleased without having to be followed about.

"Been a long time, hasn't it Fenrir?" he asked the grey mare quietly, stroking her nose gently. She nudged his hand lightly, snorting a little bit in response. "No, you're right. Three days doesn't really count." He laughed a little, shaking his head at his ridiculous remark.

"Ah! Cloud!" The blond turned, blinking as he saw the young prince happily making his way over, Riku trotting at his heels. "Visiting Fenrir again?"

Cloud bowed his head slightly. It had taken a lot the first time he did it for the prince, but it had shocked everyone when he had. It had become easier over time –though he could never force himself to bow to the king. "I wasn't expecting you to be here."

"I decided to visit Oathkeeper," Sora grinned. The boy had grown taller during the past couple of months, now able to look at Riku eye to eye, even though he was still an inch or so smaller than the silver-haired youth. He had become stronger too, the fruit of the new training regime in the young prince's education resting in his arms as developing muscles. Because of his good health, he had certainly no longer looked the frighteningly frail young creature that Cloud had seen at the start of his life in Radiant Garden.

Riku just kept silent for now, trying to keep himself warm by bringing the dully coloured cloak around himself more, looking out at the heavy snow that they had walked through, their footsteps filling up with new snow that fell from the sky like graceful feathers.

"Are you going to go to the festival tonight?" Sora asked Cloud, patting Fenrir's neck lightly. She didn't seem to mind being touched by someone other than Cloud, which was a first considering Cid had spent the best of a day training her to behave herself around others when she first arrived in his stables.

"…Don't think I will."

"Aww why?" Sora pouted, looking at him with a glance that could be compared to a litter of hound puppies. "Everyone is going!"

"Everyone except a majority of the nobles, my prince," Riku corrected. "The older ones 'that are a bunch of old misery guts whose libido's have died off' as you so charmingly called them."

"Riku! Don't repeat that!"

"…I have orders from Lord Zexion and Lady Edea to fix your language and attitude towards others in this court, particularly of the older generation."

"What?! This is the first time I heard of that order!"

"Because I was told to keep it secret unless asked."

Cloud could only smile a bit as he watched the two bicker –or at least, Sora bicker with Riku who was just stating out what he was ordered to do and not to do. These kind of moments made him realise that maybe the change of scenery, no matter how unwelcome they may be at the start, were always for the best, much like the change of seasons were for the best for the world they lived in. It made them wiser, or at least, Riku had become wiser, and Cloud was beginning to see that even Roxas was having benefits from not living the life of a pampered prince but as a responsible squire, even if he still had much to learn.

And yet Cloud seemed to be the one that had to be knocked a peg or two by Leon and a few others. But maybe that in itself had its benefits, no matter how much Cloud hated it.

"You should go Cloud," Sora pouted. "It'll be fun."

"I don't think I'm ready to face the common folk just yet…"

"You aren't scared of them, are you?" Riku asked, tilting his head lightly. And once again his younger friend had hit the nail on the head.

Cloud was scared of what people were going to think when they saw them. It was hard enough trying to win over key members in Leon's court and household, but winning over the hearts and minds of Radiant Garden's people was an entirely different matter. As far as he knew, he was still hated by them for the simple fact that he had been part of Hollow Bastion's royal family.

"Huh? But why are you scared of them?" Sora asked, childhood innocence seeping through his voice. "They're nice people if you take the time to get to know them."

"How would you know?" Cloud countered. "You've been cooped up in a tower room nearly all your life."

"No I haven't. I'll have you know that I've snuck out once or twice while Leon was away in Dalmasca."

"That isn't something to be proud of or to admit so casually," Riku murmured quietly. "You could've put yourself in danger."

"Huh? Why? I know they aren't gonna hurt me even if they did find out who I was."

"It's "they are not going to hurt me", my prince."

"Don't correct everything I say!"

The blond shook his head, stroking Fenrir's nose one last time before taking the chance to leave while it was available. Bringing his thick woollen cloak around him, he took one step into the fresh, crisp white snow, hearing it crunch under his feet as he walked away from the stables and across the bailey.

He wondered how his brother was doing. When the king and Sir Axel had gone their separate ways again, Roxas was still having nightmares of that poor dead girl. Nothing Cloud did seem to console him. The only person that seemed to have any effect on the young boy had been the red-haired knight himself.

* * *

When they had returned home in the last half of the autumnal months, Roxas had returned straight back to work. It caused Mary, who had become a surrogate mother of sorts for the youngster, to fret and fuss over him to the extent that she was begging him to take a rest once in a while during the day. Axel knew that the murders were still bothering Roxas, and he knew that Roxas was the sort of person who would agonize over it until it slowly became a faded memory in his mind. So Axel, despite Mary's worries, encouraged Roxas to work, especially since the farms and land workers needed all the help they could get. He also intensified the training, just to help Roxas keep his mind off things; an hour of archery, an hour of swordplay, an hour of literacy to keep his mind sharp (and at Zexion's suggestion when Axel had, surprisingly, wrote to him for advice) and at least an hour of horsemanship, though Axel didn't see much need for it. Roxas was a skilled horseman already, only having had trouble with controlling the horse when it erupted into a gallop. Though, his jousting did leave much to be desired. It was shame that the weather conditions made it a bit difficult for the horse to truly fly as it should do; Axel's jousting ground was only a field that the peasants used on the rare holiday to have mock-jousts. The best tilt yard that every noble and knight used was in Borealis, which was the best of a day's ride from Aurelias.

Other than these lessons, Roxas was also learning how to herd the cattle, how to bring in what was left of the crop from that autumn, how to care for the different animals that lived on Axel's lands and also, most importantly, how to take care of himself should he ever found himself alone in the wild moors at night. Axel thought maybe it was best that he did know what to do should there ever be another attempt on Roxas' life and well-being.

Hyne help him, Roxas was like a magnet when it came to trouble.

"You seem to have taken a real interest in young master Roxas, if I may be so bold to say," Luxord rather wryly noted. The manservant had to hold back a laugh as Axel suddenly recoiled from the window he had been leaning against, as if it were some viper that was about to strike. If there was anyone who knew the young lord well, it was Luxord. After all, he had to deal with him back when he was a rascal just looking for trouble.

"I'm just worried about him, that's all," Axel muttered, walking away from the window, though with a hint of reluctance. Roxas outside was tending to an injured plough horse with a few other workers. It looked like a nail from the horse's shoe had imbedded itself too deep into its hoof.

"Please use some of that worried energy to deal with other matters. Master Roxas is not the be all and end all."

"What are you doing for the Mid-Winter Festival?"

Luxord was accustomed to these sudden changes of topic when the lord was feeling uncomfortable. He knew it was best not to press matters. "Oh the usual. Go home to the family, visit the graves and pay them respect then celebrate with the rest of the people. Why?"

Axel nodded his head lightly. "Just like tradition tells us to do."

"Do you plan on going against tradition my lord?"

"Hmm…not quite. But hopefully dear old mother and father won't mind."

"And Sir Reno?"

"He wouldn't care."

* * *

"You should go to the festival tonight," Tifa said as she cleaned out the fireplace, skirt billowing with her movements. "It's good fun."

"I really don't think I will go," Cloud replied, leaning back in his chair, reading a book on philosophy from Lindblum. Zexion had recommended it. It was the first time Zexion had been willing to part with a book that he owned personally.

"But you should! There'll be dancing, singing, drinking, a play put on by some of the members of the guildhall…"

"More reason not to go. Drink makes beasts out of men."

"Oh don't say that Cloud. Everyone wants to see you ever since word got out about how you saved the king from certain death."

"I didn't save the king. I didn't save the queen of Dalmasca. Lord Rasler was the one that saved her and looked where that got him," Cloud remarked bitterly. If only he could have done more to help then. If only… "Besides, I have my own beast in sheep's clothing to worry about. And I have to figure out why he's suddenly gone into hibernation."

"Do you mean the king Cloud?"

"That is exactly who I mean. He hasn't been himself these days."

"Ah…well, the fact that Mid-Winter is tomorrow and that it's usually the day everyone goes to visit the family graves might have something to do with his mood."

"What?"

"The king's always sombre around Mid-Winter. It's the only time he ever goes to visit the royal burial mound. One year he didn't come back until the following day. Came back with a cold, he did." She then chuckled lightly. "The poor soul had been praying the whole night there. Oh but Vexen was very mad about that. The king learned quickly that he shouldn't ever try that again if he wanted all his limbs by the end of it."

"Don't you think he's…more sombre than usual?"

"Hmm…well, Dalmasca did dampen his mood a bit. After all, that treaty didn't get signed in the end, right?"

"That's right."

"And then he had to stay behind for a while to comfort poor Queen Ashelia before going back. I bet that made him face his mortality then." She sighed. "Honestly, the king seemed to think that he'd go on forever until then. I'm surprised he hasn't locked up the prince again in his room."

"The prince is getting stronger and independent these days though…"

"Which is a very good thing." She stood up, her cleaning of the fireplace now complete. "Anyway, think about coming to the festival. You might enjoy it."

"Fine," he sighed, knowing that he wouldn't hear the end of it if he continued to reject the idea. "I'll think on it."

* * *

Zexion could only watch as the king continued to furiously pen down all manner of things on the papers that were scattered across the oak wood desk. Small matters such as the construction of a new well in one of the town boroughs so that the people that lived there needn't walk so far from home, personal letters from far off kingdoms (Zack of Midgar and his wife had their first child in the early months of winter, when the first snow began to fall from the dawn grey skies, a son, though they were still debating on a name for him), private notes from the heads of the household and also political letters (once again, most if not all of them being marriage proposals again). The king looked exhausted, large grey shadows forming under his eyes.

"I think you should rest my liege," Zexion suggested tentatively, knowing that the king's temper when he was tired was like a raging lion.

"Too much work to do." His storm-coloured stare hadn't left the desk. Zexion pursed his lips and furrowed his brow. This was going to be a challenge.

"Some of it can wait you know. Today, and tomorrow, and the day after that is the Mid-Winter Festival."

"I know."

"And yet you won't take part?"

"Thanking Hyne for the old year can wait."

"And what about paying your respects to those that have passed on tomorrow? Can they wait?"

Leon looked up, sighing a little. "You're not going to let me stay here a second longer, are you?"

"I will do my utmost to, if you pardon my language, kick your ass out of this study and partake in some celebration and have fun." He paused. "Never in my life did I think I ever would have to say that to you."

"…you may have a point though. The Abbot would probably have my skull for a goblet if I didn't at least pay my respects to Hyne for all that's happened this year."

"Correction. He'd have Saïx do that for him."

"Ah yes…" He sighed. "Fine. I'll go to the cathedral tonight."

Zexion smiled only very lightly. It was only one little victory over the king; he only submitted because he wasn't overly fond of being cursed within an inch of his life by a man of Hyne's will. But it was enough. For now.

* * *

Cloud had taken a walk in the palace grounds, finding that he had needed the fresh wintry air again to clear his head. It seemed that nearly everyone seemed to be pestering him about going to this damn party or not. At least the gardens seemed to be completely barren of people since it was so cold out. Looking around, he remembered just how much he thought winter was beautiful; with ice crystals and powdery snow clinging to every branch of the bush and tree, the soft white frosting blanketing the floor like icing sugar covering the top of a cake. When the sun shone through the clouds, the snow and ice seemed to sparkle like diamonds.

He bent down, packing the snow together into a small ball, playing with it lightly by tossing it from hand to hand. How long had it been since he enjoyed such a simple pleasure? He must've been just a small child the last time he ever had a chance to fool around in the snow.

As he walked along, ball of snow flying from hand to hand, he sighed softly to himself, thinking. If he went to this festival, it would help him in his bid to free Hollow Bastion from Leon. But on the other hand, what if he was unwelcome? The common people of Radiant Garden were definitely no pushovers like his own people of Hollow Bastion who couldn't even do anything to defend themselves let alone their home. He wasn't sure. And yet everyone that he had found some form of friendship while he lived in the king's household seemed to believe that he would be welcomed.

"It's not even worth the stress," Cloud grumbled to himself, glaring at the grey battlements that kept in the nobles within the castle grounds. Just as he turned the corner, he heard the sound of crying. He paused. Crying? Why would someone be out in this cold weather for the sake of shedding a few tears? He hunted down the source of the sound, looking high and low, through bush and hedge and in every nook and cranny. Finally, he found it.

When he first laid eyes on her, he had thought that maybe she was still a child by their society's standards. Maybe just reaching seventeen. She was well dressed; fur-lined cloak around her shoulders, soft yellow bell-sleeved dress, a silver girdle, gem-studded jewellery and a small circlet made of gold, yellow amber glittering in the chill sunlight. Her chestnut hair curled into architectural flicks, making it strangely exotic and pleasing to the eye. Obviously a noblewoman.

"Why are you crying?" Cloud asked, rather bluntly he had to admit. His brusque voice had shocked the girl into looking up at her, revealing that she had bright green eyes.

"Go away," she grumbled, looking away. "Leave me to wallow in self-pity."

"Unfortunately, my upbringing commands me to not leave a lady when she's in distress, not matter how young or old she is." He sat down on the stone bench with her, looking up at the sky. "Besides, if you were sulking, you should've gone to your room where it's warm."

The girl only grumbled, looking over to him. "You wouldn't understand…"

"Try me."

She frowned only more, looking at him suspiciously. "I don't see why I should tell you."

"I'm not forcing you," Cloud replied. "You don't have to if you don't want to. I don't particularly care."

They kept their silence for a long while…until finally, the girl spoke, though only very quietly. "I'm in love with someone my father doesn't approve of." Another pregnant pause. "He found out about it…"

"Is the person you're in love with in any immediate danger?"

"No. He's been told to clear off since we haven't consummated the relationship."

"He's either very lucky or very clever then," Cloud said. "My thoughts are going more for the former than the latter." It was common knowledge that 'deflowering' any unmarried woman was punishable, but it highly depended on your social status as well as the nature of the crime. Nobles were forced to pay a fine if the lady in question consented to their advances. If not, the consequences were far more severe. Lower classes got the second form of punishment if they made advances on a woman higher than them. "What was he?"

"…a Galbadian archer…"

Cloud looked at her. Galbadian archers were the best in long-range combat. Lord Xigbar only ever employed the services of them for battle purposes; any other archer seemed to be obsolete in the Galbadians' shadow. Not only that, Galbadians had been the first to master a new weapon designed by Lindblumian inventors called a crossbow, and with deadly accuracy it had to be noted. This man, whoever he was, was lucky indeed; he had the kingdom's best long-range attacker behind him. "Very lucky indeed."

"It's just not fair though," the girl pouted, looking frustrated and tearful. "He's the perfectly reasonable sort! I mean, true that he does have a tendency to forget himself around other women but he'd never hurt them or go any further than flirting! And he'd never do anything I wouldn't want him to do! And- And- And-!"

"If you love him so much, why don't you just ignore your father and be with him," Cloud responded. She looked at him with an expression of surprise, unable to believe that such an…improper thing could be suggested!

"I can't just disobey him!"

"Then you're willing to live the rest of your life in misery?" Cloud asked her. He then sighed, looking down at his hands. "You only get one life. You might as well make it as happy a life as you can." He had learned a lot in Dalmasca. Queen Ashelia had lived her life with Rasler as happily as she could, and even now, when all seemed lost, she was trying to stay strong for the sake of everyone, herself and her unborn child. It made him realise that he himself had not really been happy, or experienced true happiness. He wasn't going to let another miss their chance, even if the road ahead of them held many hardships.

"But what if it's the wrong choice to be with him…"

"Then he wasn't worth crying over," Cloud bluntly replied. A small silence fell between the two, both caught up in their own thoughts. Cloud wondered if maybe he said too much, but he wasn't going to lie about his opinion. She stood.

"You're right. Thank you." She smiled brightly at him, wiping away the tears from her face. "If it's going to make me happy, I don't see why I can't seize it."

"It might be a hard path."

"I don't care! All that matters is that I'm with him!" She started to walk away, though she paused for a moment. "I hope you find your own happiness too, even if you are a concubine!"

Cloud fought back the urge to strangle her just then, though he did retort, "Ever been taught manners, idiotic noble?" She merely smiled at him. And like that, she was gone.

It seemed a little unreal though. After all, the girl had just switched her emotions to the extremes in a matter of seconds. Was there really such a person as that?

Then he remembered Tifa who could be as sweet as an angel and then become as devious as a devil. Yes, there were such people like that.

His thoughts returned to tonight. He decided to not think about whether people would be happy to see him or not. He thought if he would be happy to be with them, or stick around in Leon's chambers merely hoping (or not) for some sort of appearance from the moorland king.

He decided he would go, for his own sake. He'd feel much happier hanging around with people he had come to like then with a man that seemed to be doing a disappearing act.


	40. Love

**A/N:** Hey all! Sorry it took so long, but this is another of those cracking great big chapters that have a lot going on!

I started playing Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time (that is a _very _long title), and I've gotta say, I do really like it. I'll probably write a review for it when I feel like I have the time to do it, so check out the livejournal when I do (said page accessible through my profile here). The only quibble I've got is that the AI characters get annoying after a while (but their kind of the necessary evil of gaming, aren't they?) and (personal thing, no fault of the games) WHY DID THAT PURPLE MOOGLE GIVE MY SELKIE GIRL GREEN HAIR?! DX I can't even change it back to blue!

Anyways, thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed me! Critique was welcomed (thank you Saiki)! General loving the story especially welcomed by all! So please continue to read and review! For they are my chocolate mousse cake! (oh yeah, and for everyone who's wondering about the diet, going down very very well!)

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Love.

Cloud had been told it was some wonderful fantastical emotion that people of the noble classes were supposed to be privy to, but in most cases it was a gradual thing. Childhood stories of princesses locked up in towers by witches saved by brave knights/princes with the help of a magical sword or a faithful talking animal companion had been the main supplement to his view of ideal love, then his scepticism came from seeing young girls in his father's court getting married to men twice their age or to youths they had never even met until the wedding day. How in the world could they come to love complete beasts or perfect strangers, much less bear children for them on the word go? What's more, Cloud knew that at some point he'd be subject to this kind of 'love' too. Hence, he began to dread it, and even became totally cynical of the notion.

What he had not been expecting was for it to be completely unlike the rose-tinted view of it that had been forced down his throat or dubious like he had seen with his eyes. It could be fickle, dark, surprising and the root of all sorts of trouble. And, most importantly, it could change even the most stubborn of people.

* * *

The festival had been something of a shock to Cloud's system. Like Sora, he had kept his face hidden from view by means of a cloak, not exactly fond of attracting too much attention from the common folk. After all, even if people were seeing him as a hero, he was still a concubine and thus even lower than a servant in most people's views.

Things had started fairly solemnly at first. A quick trip to a local church to thank Hyne for the passing of another year and the birth of a new one (Sora didn't mind this; he said that he hated going to the cathedral. The Abbot's sermons were excruciatingly long-winded and sleep-inducing). Once done, the people burst out into joyous singing as they gathered out into the streets to celebrate Mid-Winter. The sound of the churches' and cathedral bells filled the air in jubilatory hymn, while the drink began to flow to a raucous crowd of celebrants, some ale staining the pure crisp snow that had only just freshly fallen over the dirtied layer from earlier. Chestnuts roasted over open fires, their woody scent mixing in with the scent of cooked meats and baked breads that were being served at stalls set up by butchers and bakers alike. Pie makers had set up stalls too, while wives were making and selling puddings; black puddings from butcher's wives most notably. Tifa and Riku had been the ones to buy them roasted chestnuts, since they had already eaten before coming. The prince had happily munched on one, pointing and looking at different things in sheer wonderment, asking so many questions of Riku that Cloud was surprised that the silver-haired boy hadn't become tongue-tied or confused. He himself was just content looking, mesmerized that these 'barbarians' that he had been taught so much of were really not what he was expecting at all. If anything, they were jolly.

"Enjoying it so far?" Tifa asked him. Although still clothed in her uniform black attire, she had put on a midnight-coloured cloak around her shoulders, the hood trimmed lightly with the fur of a fox that she had bought with some of her wages many a year ago. Cloud only nodded, suddenly piqued by something.

In front of another church –a much larger one than the one they had gone to– people were queuing in twos on the steps. At the wooden doors, a garland of a white flower, tinged green around the edges and weighed down by plump virgin white berries, hung from the arch. Underneath, a couple was standing under, yelling at the top of their voices as the bells rung merrily. Cloud looked at Tifa, thoroughly confused.

"It's an old tradition," Tifa smiled. "Long ago, if enemies were to meet under the mistletoe, they had to lay down their arms and call for a truce until the following day. Then later, it was said that if you and someone you care about meet under the mistletoe…" She broke off, giggling a little. "Well, you usually have to proclaim your love for each other, vocal or physical."

Cloud cringed a little. He might have had some hope of ideal love, but he was by no means that sickeningly romantic. "I had no idea that barbarians had a soft side…"

"Watch it, Doll Prince," Tifa warned. The title had become somewhat of an annoying nickname, as it was a bit too genteel to be an insult. Cid had been more than capable to supply insulting nicknames for Cloud.

He looked over to Riku and Sora. The former was currently being dragged towards another stall by the latter, though Riku looked like he was on edge. After all, he was distinguishing and most people would have heard from servants and guards on their days off about him being the prince's personal servant.

* * *

Roxas had curled himself up to the fireside, reading a book that Kairi had lent to him to pass the time. Although, usually, he spent most nights reading to the smaller children that lived in the servants' longhouse on the nights he slept in it since reading and writing was not viewed as useful to a peasant. As long as they could use a hoe or darn a sock, they could find work. Tonight though, it was a rare moment of peace in the main longhouse. Axel had come to the conclusion that Roxas needed to rest up and he wasn't going to get that with screaming children, drunken servants and clanging kitchen pots.

He guessed he could do with the rest. The nightmares were, after all, starting to die down a bit, though the memory never truly faded away. And he was grateful for having some sort of peace while reading. It had been, and still was, one of his more favourable ways of killing time.

Both of Axel's hunting dogs had curled up next to Roxas, snoring lightly in partial sleep, at points grunting at imaginary rabbits in their animalistic dream worlds or their legs twitched as if to run. Roxas didn't really pay much heed to them, knowing that if he pet one it was more than likely that they would bite his hand off in thinking that his hand was a rabbit or a fox. Hunting dogs were not brilliant house pets in spite of their superior skills in tracking down prey and administering the finishing blow. Truly, it was best to let sleeping dogs lie in this case.

However, what had surprised him was that Axel hadn't gone to celebrations being held in the villages that were part of Aurelias, so Kairi and Luxord had gone as his representatives –though Luxord wanted to go see his family in the village of Valo, one of the bigger villages that was home to one or two merchant families of which the manservant belonged to. It made the blond wonder. Axel had yet to make an appearance.

Was he unwell? Entirely possible. Axel said so himself that he wasn't fond of cold weather. But then again, Axel wouldn't be so stupid as to not wrap up warmly if he had to go out in the wintry weather. Plus, Axel seemed to be having medical marvels at a regular occurrence so a simple cold wouldn't take him out of the social circle for a night.

Maybe Axel didn't want to go this time. Or, some rather conceited part of him suggested, Axel didn't want to let Roxas out of his sight. After all, festivals attracted huge crowds. He could still have enemies.

Deep in thought despite flicking through his book, he hadn't noticed Axel had finally appeared.

Every available fireplace had been lit in the longhouse, every window closed and every crack recovered with mud-paste to keep the cold out from the inside of the wooden structure, thus allowing Axel not to wear too much layering in the comfort of his own home. In this case, he had opted not to wear a tunic –it was slung over his shoulder–, having only just come out of the _savusauna_ out in the small pit at the back of the longhouse. Although he hated cold weather, Axel didn't mind it so much once he came out of the smoky and steamy pit. Though, despite the fact that Trabian tradition dictated that he should roll in the snow after being in there, he wasn't overly keen on risking a chance of catching cold either.

He had been planning on changing into something cleaner, but he had seen Roxas. He pursed his lips slightly. Although the young boy seemed perfectly content where he was now, Axel had been expecting him to be a bit more tenacious about not being allowed to go to the festivities. Maybe Roxas felt like he needed the rest too. The blond had been working very hard recently. He approached him.

"You alright?" he asked quietly, taking a seat on the floor next to him. The dogs barely stirred. Roxas looked up, smiling lightly.

"I'm fine. Thanks for letting me have the night off."

So he felt like he needed a break. At least that eased Axel's mind a little. "Would've thought you wanted to join in with the party tonight."

Roxas shook his head. "There's nothing for me there, no matter how much people say there is. It wouldn't feel right." He then shrugged, thumbing a page. "And anyway, I don't have relatives to mourn over here. They're all at Hollow Bastion." All except Cloud, he had thought sadly. He might've been largely ignored by his father and older half-brothers, but they were still family, and he still loved them unconditionally. He wondered if Cloud was thinking that too while this festival was going on.

Axel patted the dogs' behinds, making them start and go elsewhere, knowing that they were not needed for now. Roxas put his book down, taking the hint that Axel wanted to talk to him. "What is it?"

"How're you sleeping these days?"

Roxas sighed, having a feeling his sleeping patterns would be discussed. "A bit easier. I still remember it though."

"Events like that very rarely can be forgotten." He slowly wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders, pulling him close. Roxas could smell the scent of sweat and snow coming off his frame, mingled with smoky wood and an exotic spicy smell that he couldn't quite pin down what it was. "You feel like you could've done something to stop it, right?"

Roxas nodded his head. The guilt was still excruciating on the blond's young shoulders. Even more so than the thought that he had been the cause of his mother's death. "I wish…I wish there was more I could have done."

"You were scared. That's normal."

"I shouldn't be scared! I saw people die before! I saw you kill people! Why wasn't I afraid of you then?! Why?!" Confusion. Axel was expecting it. Even he was surprised that he and Roxas had fallen into an argument rather than Roxas being terrified of being touched by him. He squeezed his shoulder very gently.

"You didn't know who killed her. Being killed by someone you don't even know, not even knowing what this person looks like is far more terrifying then seeing their face."

"Have you ever been in that sort of position…?" Roxas asked softly.

"No. Never." Axel then paused, only for a moment. "It felt like it though…"

"What did?"

"…my cousin was killed during the civil war in Midgar. I never knew who killed him." He then sighed. "I kept writing to him, telling him to get out of there, but he refused to leave. Even though he knew he was fighting a losing battle."

"He wasn't on the king of Midgar's side?"

Axel pursed his lips, a pained look crossing his eyes, making his facial marks crinkle lightly. "He was on House Shinra's side. He was part of their elite, the Turks. They were sort of like the ruling leader's bodyguards."

"Why did the civil war happen?" Roxas questioned. The civil war had happened only a few years ago, but Hollow Bastion largely kept out of it, only close members of the king's advisory team knowing all that was going on. Little prince Roxas had been too busy playing knights with his older brother.

"Midgar had a succession of five bad kings, and three years of bad farming. When the old king had died, the court split into two supporting sides. One was for House Shinra, and the other was for House Fair. My cousin didn't agree with what House Shinra had done to the kingdom, but he had already sworn his loyalty to them. He was willing to die for them." He sighed. "Eventually, the peasants began to get restless and they soon became divided too. It was a mess. No one was sure who would win."

"But House Fair did."

Axel nodded, though he didn't seem sure of that. "Midgar still is quite volatile. After all, Rufus of House Shinra only went missing. He could still be out there unless his body's been found." He then sighed. "There are days though when I wish my cousin had just disappeared. I think I could've handled that."

"You were close?"

"Mmm. Like brothers." He smiled lightly. "Probably the closest thing to a brother I had." He sighed. "My emotions got the best of me when I found out he was killed. Leon had to send a whole troop of guards after me to stop me from getting involved with the conflict. We weren't ready to have a full out battle or a war at that point. My being there would've jeopardised his plans."

Roxas could understand. He didn't have cousins himself but he did remember the sense of loss and despair when he heard of his brothers' and father's demise, and feared for Cloud's life. Axel had felt such a loss too. "And your parents…?"

"Mother died a few years before my cousin. She got tuberculosis." The image of his mother's skin still haunted his mind; pale as the white snow to the point she almost looked unearthly. It contrasted against the crimson blood she coughed up on a daily basis as her condition worsened, no matter of medicine or cure seeming to work. "Father pretty stuffed himself to death after her and my cousin's deaths. Luxord found him on the floor of his bedroom sprawled." Axel had, fortunately enough, been away in Borealis when it happened. Kairi had not been so fortunate.

"How awful."

"How pathetic in my father's case," Axel snorted. Stupid fool. He kept telling him that he was eating too much and riding too little.

"That's no way to talk about your father," Roxas bristled. Axel just ruffled his hair lightly, earning a rather annoyed grumble.

"I'll pay my respects to him tomorrow, and to everyone else. Does that appease you?"

Roxas growled, "It's a little better." He then smiled, though shyly. At last, he felt like he had gotten to know the red-haired warrior better. And for Roxas, that was a crowning achievement.

* * *

When Cloud had come back from the festivities (having decided that seeing the guild member's religious play on the creation of the world was one thing too much for him (especially since all the actors were men, and apparently had no shame or sense of modesty)), he wasn't expecting Leon to be in the room that they shared. Well, Cloud used it; Leon hadn't been seen in it at all.

Until now.

He had fallen onto his back on the bed, sprawled out, snoring heavily. He hadn't even bothered to unclothe himself in his tiredness. Cloud could only shake his head. Despite his earlier feelings about the king, even he could see that he was overworking himself.

"Stupid fool," he muttered, almost despairingly, kicking his boots off. He wasn't keen on sleeping on the floor, even if it had new rushes laid down on the floor. He was thankful though that the fire was still going. He lay down on the small bit that was left over on the bed, pushing Leon's sleeping body aside a little bit to get some more room.

At least he'd get a peaceful night sleep too. He had been enjoying them recently.

He damn near shrieked when he felt Leon's arm suddenly wrap around his waist, pulling the blond closer to his body. "Are you-?!" He stopped, seeing that Leon was still asleep. He blinked a bit, surprised. Maybe he was overreacting. Curling up to the warmest thing next to them was a normal thing to do after all when they were sleeping.

As long as Leon didn't start getting a raging hard on at some point in the night, then Cloud could allow this. But just this once.

* * *

The morning air was crisp and sharp, freshly fallen snow now imprinted by both human and horse and cart tracks. The atmosphere was mixed; many were still in their celebratory mood, while others were more solemn and mournful. Roxas had found himself in one such group that were solemn about the early morning event.

Axel and Kairi had been silent the whole trip to the graveyard, bouquets of rue, rosemary and dried poppies clutched tightly to the young girl's breast as they rode towards the graveyard. Roxas understood; it wouldn't be his place to cheer them up. In a way, he sort of felt privileged that they were even allowing him to come along as well.

A little further ahead was Luxord and his family; parents, the siblings that had stayed behind, their spouses and their children. They seemed to be in high spirits, joking among themselves and fascinating the younger generation with tales of their ancestors. Behind them, the Trabians were having a party; it was tradition for them to always laugh and sing when visiting the dead to celebrate their life, rather than mourn for their loss. It was something Roxas found difficult to get his head around. When he and Cloud visited their mother's tomb in the age-old crypt below Hollow Bastion Keep, Roxas always had found himself moved to tears even though he never met the woman that gave him life. It was normal for people to cry when they visited graves in his old home. It seemed disrespectful to laugh in the grave marker's presence.

They soon arrived. Roxas had imagined some form of gateway leading into the sacred ground but there was none. Flat stones laid on the ground marked the boundary between the graveyard and the moor land, but they didn't look at all intrusive on the landscape. The graveyard was on a craggy, crumbling hill, with peasants at the bottom, and those of higher status higher up. Axel's family, Roxas had come to realise as they dismounted their horses, was at the very top.

Kairi had taken the lead with a slow trot up the hill. Axel seemed to hesitate, pulling the cloak he was wearing tighter around him. He felt a small hand take his wrist, squeezing it lightly as if to encourage him forward. The redhead smiled at Roxas though only lightly, taking his hand instead and holding it strongly for a moment before starting forward. Roxas followed closely, eyes not leaving his back, wondering why Axel seemed so reluctant to approach the graves.

Kairi was on her knees in front of the large stone that listed the names of the fallen, laying the bouquets down at its base before bringing her hands together, whispering a small prayer that Roxas couldn't make out. Axel stood a little bit behind her, his eyes going down the list until they finally rested on the second last name.

Reno.

Roxas stood back, just watching the siblings talk in hushed whispers, as if reminiscing of the past. It made him think back to his own memories, even if Cloud and Riku had more impact on his life than his father ever did. Then he tried to delve into his mind to find memories of him with his father or his half-brothers, but found it hard to find any. His half-brothers had their own lives separate to Roxas, and his father only really spoke to him on special occasions. But it seemed odd how, in his mind, he always saw his father as the greying old warrior that could still wield a sword, when the last time the blond had ever seen him he became almost completely incapable of getting out of his throne. Maybe a small part of him was still holding on to the image that he was the father that did, in the end, would do anything for him, even stopping his youngest son from stepping into battle. It was the only time Roxas had felt he was truly loved by him at that moment. He never recognised it until now, when it was already far too late.

He sniffled back some tears that were beginning to leave his eyes, stubborn to not let his feelings get the better of him. He was stronger than this. Or at least, he had become stronger than what he had been. He was no longer the green boy who went charging off into battle with little heed of his father's words, or meekly surrendered in fear of his own life.

But he was not yet a man either. He felt a soft gentle hand take his wrist. He turned, looking into the lavender-blue eyes that belonged to the youngest of the Aurelias family. "Roxas…please take care of Axel." She pursed her lips. "He tends to have a habit of staying overnight in this place. I don't want him to catch cold."

Roxas nodded slowly. "I promise."

* * *

Miles away, on the outskirts of Borealis citadel, the king and his brother were travelling to the royal burial site. Only four comprised of their party: surprisingly, Cloud was one of them. He still wasn't sure why. Maybe Leon, in bitter regret for his actions of risking his kingdom for sparing the life of an enemy, was going to right the wrong in front of his dead parents. But would he do it in front of his brother and his servant?

Although Cloud's imagination ran wild at the prospect of having to fight for his life or act out of self-defence, he very much doubted that Leon would be that stupid to do that.

A top their horses, they rode side by side, completely silent. Their animals seemed to do more talking and gesturing than they did; Cid had commented that the shadow-coloured Griever seemed to have taken a particular liking to the near pristine white Fenrir. He didn't lie; they were standing very close to each other, almost touching. Because of this though, the two riders' knees always brushed past each other, which sent one or two tingles down Cloud's spine.

"Almost there," Leon whispered quietly, his eyes trained on Sora and Riku who were up ahead. Riku was walking. Sora was riding Oathkeeper. Cloud nodded, not really willing to fill in the silence.

As they continued through the thick blanket of snow, Cloud realised that the scenery was becoming craggier, sharp rocks saluting the blue-grey sky as they walked past them, a sound of thunder becoming louder and louder in their declaration of something being close by. At first, Cloud though a storm was coming in, but the sky was almost clear of dark grey clouds.

"The burial site is embedded into the rock face of a waterfall," Leon stated out of the blue, not once looking at Cloud. "It was where Radiant Garden's monarchy truly started, though the town that had stood there is now long gone."

"Why a waterfall?"

"It's a defence nature provided us. Plus the tombs are sealed away in a maze of tunnels that anyone who didn't know them well enough could get lost in them. And also we seal it shut. No one can get in. Or out."

Cloud nodded his head. He was right. It did seem like the perfect defence against grave robbers and enemies alike. "Your parents are buried there I take it."

"As tradition dictates. Though they are pierced in the hearts with holy wood to stop their spirits from seeking revenge." The king shook his head quietly, mournful of their fate. "My father wasn't the type to go wrecking havoc though. Neither was my mother. If there was a way to avoid war, they would take it."

"And yet their son adores war craft."

"I'm merely fulfilling the expectations of my warlike people," Leon remarked. "I'm sure you would too if you were always being told that you had to avenge your parents."

"I'm sure at my age I have the right frame of mind to come to that decision myself, not have petty advisors telling me that it's what I must do." Cloud had to be frank with him; he may be a man, but Leon was still, in many ways, a child. Leon didn't respond for a long while, only resigning himself to a sigh.

"And what of you? What do you think of war?"

"It's a necessity if it's for the right reasons," Cloud said quietly. He hadn't always shared his father's view of it being a glorious thing or a chance to win immortality in the archives of history. "There will always be people who will try to change things. Sometimes it's for the better, and sometimes they need to be stopped. All I know is, there's an 'us' and a 'them'. Always have been, always will be." He paused, contemplating on what he had just said. "I don't even know if I was on the side that was supposed to be evil, or the side that was supposed to be good."

"There's no such thing as good and evil," Leon snorted. "Just different opinions and perspectives."

"That what you were told?"

"What I came to realise." He looked over to Cloud at last, his eyes void of emotion except for nonchalance. "Fairytales have very little truth to them."

"That I can agree with…"

Silence again as they approached the final resting place of Radiant Garden's monarchs of ages past, their stone solemn statues watching over in their alcoves among the cliff walls. Many were men of the sword, dressed in full armour, though there appeared to be a few who held more peaceful staffs and shields. Cloud hated to admit it…but it was far more impressive than the catacombs his family and ancestors were buried in. He was brought out of his gazing by Leon's calling to Sora who had started exploring around the pool. Riku followed him dutifully, as always.

"Stop being such a worrywart Leon!" Sora called back in response to his brother's concerns, barely getting caught by Riku as he slipped on a wet flat rock. Although they could only see the silver-haired boy's back, Cloud could detect that he had subtly shook his head in despair. Leon dismounted Griever, tying the reins so that they wouldn't fall down the stallion's neck and patted his neck affectionately.

"Like to come down?" Leon asked.

"What for?" Cloud questioned. He honestly didn't see any reason why he was even here in the first place.

"To talk."

"Talk?" Cloud couldn't help but feel a tad bit suspicious about that. After all, a talk could mean anything with the moorland king.

"Not going to do anything to you. Swear on my life." Leon drew a cross on where his heart was, as if to reassure the blond his oath.

"That's not a very wise thing to say." Cloud slid off Fenrir, letting her roam about where the grass grew in stark defiance of the snow and graze with Oathkeeper. Griever trotted over to join her, standing quite close to her and giving warning looks to the prince's young mare if she ventured too close to them. Leon walked over to where the grass and mud gave way to rock and shingle, sitting on the edge, his boots nearly touching the water's edge. Cloud joined him, bringing the wolf fur that had been given to him closer around his body. "So talk."

For a while, they continued on with a silence until Leon finally spoke. "You've settled in well I heard."

"I wasn't in the mood to fight after Dalmasca."

"You're still taking it hard then…"

"I could have _done_ something! If I had a weapon with me I could have killed him! Then no one else would have had to die!"

"By the time you would've attacked him, he still would have shot the arrow. You did what you could." He then sighed. "It's a bloody miracle you're still alive after that."

"What makes you so sure that I couldn't have stopped him?" Cloud snapped, furious sapphire-hued eyes glaring at him.

"It wasn't your fault Cloud," Leon said calmly, looking at him with masked eyes. "Don't you think there hasn't been a day where I don't ask myself if there was anything I could've done to stop Rasler from being killed? If there was anything I could've done to those who fell in the battles I've taken part in? If I could've saved my parents?" The blond had gone mute at that, though he was still seething in frustration with himself. "Hyne has a funny way of playing things out and making us regret our actions. But we can also find ways to atone for our mistakes, or to find a way to make peace with it."

"Did you make peace with your parents' death?" Cloud almost sneered at that. Leon cringed; he knew that dagger would be thrown at him.

"Maybe not back then, but now…well, I've realised that my own anger got the better of me, not my pride."

"Don't try to make yourself out to be a martyr of regret Leon. It doesn't suit you."

"I mean it. I've learnt my lesson." He then sighed. "Besides, there is something I have to confess to." Cloud shrugged; he didn't want nor cared to know what Leon had to say really. "I lied about your older brothers." The blond's head swivelled at that, sapphire eyes blinking rapidly. "I didn't behead them on the spot. I just made the story up to get you to submit back then. They fought bravely. Both of them. They were good warriors. Axel damn near lost an arm to the elder's battleaxe." Cloud had to pinch himself. Why was Leon telling him this now?! "I will admit to taking their heads off the corpses and…delivering them back to your father."

"You barbaric bloodthirsty bastard!" Cloud screeched, pouncing on him with the intent to seriously harm the king's head. "I swear I'm going to kill you one of these days!" The king made no real move to protect himself, earning quite a hefty bruise on his cheek as he missed his chance to catch a swipe from Cloud's right arm. He did manage to capture the blond's wrist, taking the chance to turn them around so that the blond was on his back. Cloud struggled under him.

"Let go of me you beast! You better hope I don't come across a knife because I'm going to slit your neck with it!"

Leon just shook his head. "I'm sorry Cloud. I'm sorry for that, every other thing that I've done to you, and I'm sorry, but I can't let you have that privilege just yet."

Cloud had barely heard the whole sentence, still struggling out of his captor's grip. Leon made no move that suggested he was going to try and subdue him, just allowing the blond to calm down by his own power.

He was just glad that Sora and Riku seemed to have disappeared into the cavern entrance to the royal tombs.

* * *

"Here it is!" Sora exclaimed as he jumped down from a step stone step, jogging over to a stone marker that bore the Leonhart family crest. Riku just kept a small distance between them, wondering what the king and Cloud were talking about right now. Well…arguing would be a better word for it if they were getting back to normal routine. He watched as Sora took out what looked like a sprig of mistletoe with a few other winter floras, putting it down at the base of the marker and clapping his hands together as if in prayer.

"Sorry, it's just me again this year. Leon's acting chicken again about coming in here. You know what he's like father, mother." Riku blinked, amazed that Sora was so freely talking to his dead parents as if they were there in front of them, listening to them. Not even _he_ would talk to his own long and gone mother. "But he's given me a chance to actually hold a sword this year. Yeah, it is only a practice sword, but it's a sword nonetheless. That's a huge leap for him. You remember when I told you that he swore he wasn't going to let me even touch swordplay with a barge pole? I think he's getting better now. He's not so protective anymore." Sora then laughed. "Probably because he's got enough troubles with Cloud. Oh yeah, you wouldn't believe what happened this year…!"

And so Sora continued, chatting away to the marker in a one-sided conversation, telling the dead spirits all that happened in the past year. Riku just found himself fascinated by just how animated the prince was, unable to comprehend that this was the same Sora that hated being alone in long silences when other people were about.

Sora soon came to a stop, taking a huge breath as if all his talking had winded him. Riku did have to admit that a lot did happen in a year. And Sora had been talking a mile a minute in his narrative. He could only return Sora's childish smile with a sombre reflective one of his own.

"What about your family ancestors? We could build a makeshift marker for them so that you can-"

"I'm not a Jenova anymore," Riku cut across, his voice suddenly gotten cold. It took the brunet by surprise.

"But they're your family!"

"Sora, they've tried to kill Cloud, Roxas, your brother and I'm in no doubt that they'll want me dead as well. I'm an embarrassment to them."

"But they're still your family." Sora looked at him sadly. His childlike heart just couldn't understand why a family could want each other dead, only having known Leon and Edea and the rest of the household that pretty much loved and spoiled the heir to the moorland kingdom's throne.

"It's…complicated," Riku shrugged, not really willing to go into details. "If I did love them, it got destroyed when I realised that they were plotting against House Strife."

"So you put Cloud and his brother before your family?"

"They were my masters and friends before you were, my prince. I was not going to let them suffer because of my brothers."

There was a pregnant silence between them, neither one saying a word for a long time. They really were from different worlds, Riku had thought.

"So…that means you haven't got a family anymore?" Sora asked tentatively.

"I want nothing more to do with the Jenova name. I'm just Riku. A simple servant who was a traitor to his own homeland. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Don't you want a family? Or someone that loves you?"

Riku closed his eyes, taking in a soft, long breath. Why was it that Sora had this uncanny ability to ask questions Riku wasn't sure he knew the answers to? "The servants at the castle have become my family. That's enough."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"What about me?" Riku merely blinked at Sora, completely lost for words at that. The prince was giving him a serious look, waiting for an answer, blue eyes looking very patient but at the same time rather keen too.

"What about you, my prince?" Riku asked carefully.

"What do you think about me?" the prince questioned, crossing his arms against his chest.

"Well…you're my master of course, so I feel responsible for you. And I feel like we've gotten to know each other better so I guess that makes us friends…"

"Friends don't refer to each other in a master-servant way," Sora quipped. "I still keep telling you to call me Sora."

"…and I keep telling you that it's not my place to use your name."

"And I'm telling you it is!" Sora blew his cheeks up in frustration, furrowing his eyebrows.

"My prince, may I request that we have this conversation later? It's much unexpected and this isn't the right time or place to talk about the matter so-"

"This is a perfect time and place to talk about this matter!" Sora shrilly replied, bristling at the fact that Riku was trying to avoid the subject altogether. "After all we've been through together I think we should have this talk!"

"Be that as it may, my prince, the fact remains that this is a place of your family's rest so we ought not to speak of these kinds of things." Riku then added, very meekly he had to note, "It wouldn't be proper."

"Riku! I'm ordering you to have this talk with me!"

The youth pursed his lips. He hated it when Sora used that phrase against him. It put him in very awkward positions where he couldn't refuse the prince, even if he wasn't comfortable with what he asked. Sora had done it the first time he had coerced Riku into sneaking out to town with him. Needless to say, Riku was a bundle of nerves by the end of it.

"I'm sorry," he whispered quietly. "But please allow me, just this once, to disobey you." He turned on his heel. "We ought to see if Cloud hasn't murdered the king yet."

"Riku!" Sora yelled again. Riku didn't turn back, but began a slow walk back outside. He knew Sora would have to follow him. The prince didn't like being left alone. Not even for a second. "Riku!" he yelled again.

He apologised mentally to Sora. He would make it up to him, he was sure of it.

"Damn it! Riku! Come back here!"

Maybe he could see if the cooks could make Sora his favourite treat. The prince was fond of spiced breads, he remembered.

"Don't you get it?! I love you!"

Riku damn near fell over at that, looking back at him with wide luminous aqua-green eyes and flushed beet-red cheeks. "Wh-Wh-What?"


	41. Uncertainty

**A/N:** Urgh...it's been far too long for my liking. I blame life. I blame it entirely! -_shakes fist at it_-

What's also long is this chapter as it includes: 7,812 words (not including this author's note), which is17 pages long in word, which is in total 95Kb. In short: IT'S A MONSTER! But I think the next nine chapters are going to be like that (my target is still end HUS by chapter 50, with exception to one or two more extra chapters).

I've also come to the conclusion that HUS will most likely **_not_** get a sequel (considering how I am going to end it), but instead it may have stories that have references and links to it, though you have to look hard through them for clues (sorta going Da Vinci Code here if you know what mean). Actually, to be truthful, I've got two stories on standby to be released, one being carefully crafted, the other just trying out a new medium all the while trying to be as accurate as possible about the material. The timing of when they come out is to be decided (or TBD).

Right...52 reviews for a chapter...blimey, that's a lot. I think that's the most I ever got for one chapter -_goes to check the abonimation that is Magnetic Attraction_- nope, that one has had a chapter with 64 reviews. Heh, not bad for a story that's never gonna get updated haha. Anyways, back to the point, the point being thank you so much for all your reviews and support, and here's hoping for that to continue! Now, usually tradition dictates that I ask for reviews for they are something sweet to my tastebuds, but in celebration of the fact that I've lost a stone in weight (14lbs for those who don't know what a 'stone' is), I'm just going to raise my glass of diet coke in the air and beg for reviews for they are my carrot-sticks!

...It doesn't really work, does it? XD Anyway, Cheers for all the support! Please read and review! Like I said, reviews are my carrot-sticks!

**

* * *

**

Uncertainty.

For four people, that could best describe their feelings as the second day of the Winter Festival drew to a close.

For Riku, what had weighed heavy on his mind was the simple yet childish confession the prince had made to him. True, he had first thought it was just out of friendliness, maybe even bordering brotherly, but when he looked into Sora's eyes he knew that it was not the case. Sora had certainly fallen in love. And with him of all people: a servant; a former enemy; a _boy_! How could the prince do such a thing?! Why would the prince _say_ such a thing?!

For Cloud, he just wasn't sure what to believe any more. Leon had told him that he had lied about his brothers. What more was there that Leon had lied about? He knew that Leon had done the honourable thing and sent his half-brothers' widows back to Archadia, their home, to avoid conflict with the Archadian Empire, but what if the people were suffering right now in Hollow Bastion? What if Leon's assurances that Hollow Bastion were in a pair of safe hands were just defamations? What if Leon never intended to let him return to Hollow Bastion as he had promised?

For Roxas, his uncertainty came in a slightly different form. It was more of just how he had managed to find himself in the sort of position he was in now? The position being that he was in the grave-keeper's cottage while said man was out visiting family, with Axel, lying with him in the guest bed, practically wearing next to nothing and the taller man's arm wrapped firmly around his waist. He wondered if it was the emotions that had been running high in the background between them or the fact that there had only been one guest bed for them to use that had ended up with them in the awkward position, but it could have been a number things. Or just one _tiny_ little thing that Axel had just happened to mention, a voice in his head suggested smugly.

For Edea, her concerns bordered on the fact that no matter what manner or form of mediation she did, no matter what method of fortune telling she tried, the future was covered in a thick cloud of vagueness and doubt. The Lovers card was still appearing, more often than not upside down, but it came with all sorts of companion cards; Magicians, Fools, Death, Judgement, Justice, Court Cards, the Moon, all of them foretelling some sort of tragedy was to befall on them. Though Edea had no idea what it was, it made her worry, and fear for everyone's future.

* * *

Riku had been deathly quiet for the rest of the visit, only answering when he was spoken too. Even at those times he often just kept to phrases like "yes, my lord" or "it shall be done" or even just one worded answers. It was driving Sora crazy, especially when, back in the cave, after he had repeated what he had said, Riku had said nothing and left him in there. Alone! And every time he tried to bring it up, the silver-haired servant either avoided the subject or pretended to not even hear him. The prince was almost tempted to just hit Riku for acting the way he was, but he didn't want Leon's attention on this matter.

Even he knew that being in love with someone of a lower status and your own gender was just asking for trouble. But that wasn't going to stop him. He wasn't going to stop till he had an answer from Riku, come hell or high water.

Of course, said servant was having a string of lucky escapes. First time, Leon had unwittingly stopped Sora from speaking to the silver-haired youth by calling his younger brother over.

The second time, Riku had quickly gone over to a stall owner to buy roasted chestnuts for the young prince when they processed into Borealis Town. At this point, the king and Sora were suddenly swamped by adoring subjects, and poor Cloud had been caught up in it as well.

The third, Riku had been called away for helping the kitchen servants for preparations for that night's feast. And because of that, Sora hadn't seen him since. It was actually beginning to depress the young prince now.

"Why the Friday face my prince?" Edea asked, looking up from her needlework. They were in one of the drawing rooms of the castle, Sora leaning against the window ledge, breathing against the glass window panes and drawing small shapes with his finger. She was sitting close to the fire, slightly turned towards it, wearing her trademark black garments with silvery-spider-web thin ancient designs. Her bewitching eyes watched him with a gaze of concern, unused to such a sluggish behaviour from Sora.

"Edea, have you ever fallen in love?" Sora asked, at a snail's pace fingering a small heart onto the steamy glass, watching it disappear slowly but surely. The question had come as somewhat of a surprise to the former regent, but she just smiled lightly, putting her needlework on her lap delicately.

"I had."

"What was he like?"

"He was a kind man, but he was no fighter. But he could see talent in others, so he would often encourage them to pursue that talent." Her smile became deeply reminiscent, as if remembering her younger years before she had been declared as a "sorceress" by Galbadia's Church.

"What happened to him?"

"I don't know. I was forced to not make contact with him when I became a sorceress."

"So you don't know what happened to him at all? Nothing?"

"It was many years ago Sora," she smiled softly. "Many, many years ago. It would be difficult now to find him."

He had come over to her now, on his knees on clinging to her skirt, like he had done when he was just a small child following her around like a mother duck and her duckling. "But he must still be in Galbadia now, right?"

"If he was, I would have found him by now."

"…did he…die?"

She nodded her head, her eyes looking away slightly, cloudy with distant memories from her past in the Church's centre of power. "He said something that the Church of Hyne didn't agree with. For that, he had to be silenced." She closed her eyes.

"Execution…?" Sora whispered tentatively.

"No. Life imprisonment. But it's a death sentence in itself." The young prince could only imagine. Borealis' prisons were not exactly the most cleanest or most pleasant of places; and he was sure all prisons were like this too.

"If you could save him…would you?"

Edea smiled lightly at him, patting his head affectionately like she always had done since she took on the challenge of raising the orphaned brothers. "My dear little prince, I think you should worry more about your own matters of the heart rather than this old woman's."

"You're not old Edea," Sora smiled brightly. "You haven't aged a day!" This only earned the soft laughter from the former regent, her eyes crinkling with mirth.

"You're too sweet for your own good, my prince." She ruffled his hair lightly, her hand retreating back to her lap. "Now go. I'm sure you and your sweetheart have a lot to talk about."

At that, Sora's face erupted into a brilliant shade of rose red. "H-How did y-you-?!" he sputtered.

"It's written in your eyes, my prince. Now go. Before you let the chance slip by you."

At this, Sora understood. Edea had lost her chance; she was making sure her young charge would not make the same mistake as her. For this, Sora found that his confidence had grown.

He would talk to Riku. Now.

His plans to do just that were, unfortunately, scupperred by a very well-timed appearance of Zexion. At the sight of him, Sora cowered a little bit. After all, he hadn't exactly been a good student as of late.

"Ahh, so you've been hiding in here all this time," Zexion smiled wryly, though the look in his one visible eye were revealing more of what the petit advisor's thoughts were. He was going to be giving the young prince a 'Spartan education' whether it killed him or not. Sora could only cower a little more. "I'm _so glad_ you finally decided to appear. Especially since I got special permission from the king to drag you from your hiding place to where you're meant to be studying."

Sora knew all too well what that meant. "Z-Zexion…I-I was j-just…" He squeaked when he suddenly felt the back of his shirt being grabbed. Zexion didn't look it, but he had a strong grip –probably from carrying heavy loads of books and scrolls. Still holding the prince by the collar, the advisor bowed lightly to Edea.

"My lady." With that, he jerked Sora out of the room, berating him lightly for slacking off again. "Honestly my prince, I don't know what on Hyne's green earth I'm supposed to do with you sometimes!"

"Zex_ion_! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Let me _**go**_!!!!!"

Edea held back a small chuckle. To her, this was an everyday occurrence.

Though she wished she knew where Leon was. He hadn't yet made an appearance in front of her, like he usually would do after visiting the tombs.

* * *

The sky was beginning to darken when Axel finally seemed to decide it was time for them to leave the graveyard. Roxas nearly whooped for joy when Axel finally left the family grave marker a few hours ago, only to be thrown into further dismay when Axel started visiting every other grave marker. He was glad he did wear those gloves Kairi had got for him as a present a couple of weeks back, since he had been complaining of frozen fingers and thumbs while working.

"Roxas," Axel started.

"Yes?"

"Anything you want to say?"

The blond looked at him blankly, as if trying to figure out what it was that Axel had meant. "No…not really. Other than I'm getting cold." A small snort of amusement, followed by the sound of crunching snow under leather boots approaching him. He watched Axel, no longer seeing that once mournful expression that just didn't look…right on the knight's face. "We should head back. Kairi's going to be worried about you."

"Can't go back tonight."

"Huh?" Roxas turned swiftly back to face him. "Why not?"

"I've got one last job to do. But it means I don't get home tonight." He then looked up at the sky, frowning lightly. "I think its best you stay here too. I'm not going to take any chances concerning your safety."

"…just what is this job?"

"Taking care of things here while the grave keeper's out in Lumos." He then shrugged. "It's something I've always done for him since he hardly sees his family except for when there are special occasions."

"Like now."

"Like now." Axel stretched out slightly with a cheerful grin, grabbing a hold of Flame's reins and pulling him along. "Come on. You must be freezing."

Roxas only watched him for a short while before grabbing onto Oblivion's reins and guiding him along too, finding himself to be rather puzzled by Axel's behaviour. Why did he seem so merry all of a sudden?

* * *

He had been expecting to be hit like that. After all, if he were in Cloud's position, being told his brother hadn't been dishonourably executed after all, he would've done the same thing. Leon just hadn't expected it to sting as much as it did now. Tentatively, he raised his fingers to touch the dark bruise on the side of his face, having wondered in amazement how he had managed to persuade anyone who asked that he just had a nasty fall while he was out. The skin felt sharply hot in the cold air of the wintry night, making his gloved hand recoil at the sensation.

He looked up, and had to ask himself again just why he was out riding at this time of night? And on his own no less. Honestly, he was beginning to question the competency of his own guards if even _he_ could get past them. Though, knowing Cid, he'd probably raise the alarm once he noticed Griever wasn't in his stable where he should be.

Said stallion seemed to be having a moment of disagreement with his master, trying to stray back towards Borealis though he was being told to head north, towards the burial tombs. Leon felt like that he had unfinished business to attend with. And besides…it meant he could actually have a peaceful moment of thought without worrying about whether he was going to step on Cloud's toes or be disturbed by some domestic or political affair.

Urging Griever on, his thoughts wandered back to his ever changing thoughts on Cloud and what his fate would, or should have been. At the start, he was more interested in slitting the blond's throat than actually capturing him. Then it changed rapidly as that battle they fought in came to a close; the blond wasn't yet an adult back then, so he would be ample enough for some form of leverage against Hollow Bastion. But then an even more stable form of leverage came in the form of young Roxas so he should have killed Cloud then, like everyone had told him to behind closed doors.

So why didn't he? Why did he suddenly decide that he'd have more fun torturing and humiliating the other than actually getting rid of him?

He never really gave much thought to it, but hadn't even realised that slowly, he was finding it hard to imagine life without the blond nearby. That first time he panicked when Cloud had come to harm he had brushed off as a man worrying over losing a precious good. That second time, when he took an arrow from a man that would have rather seen the blond honourably dead than shamefully alive, Leon knew that he couldn't rebuff that for the same reason. He guessed that was the time that his attitude started changing towards the other, especially as Cloud had been given more second chances than an average rebellious prisoner of war would get.

Not to mention, the nights had become far less active than they had been at the beginning. If anything, Leon had started thinking about the other as a person, not a thing (something he hadn't been prepared for at all).

His far more bloodthirsty warlords were going to rip him to shreds verbally if they ever found out that he was growing fond of the blond. They were the ones who were adamant about him being killed on the spot after all.

"Maybe it'll be a good lesson though," he muttered to himself. "Getting attached to the enemy…is a dangerous move. Even I know that." Griever tried once more to turn back, but Leon stilled him, reaching over to stroke his soft felt-like ears. "So even you think me a fool…maybe you're right." He looked up at the sky. Cloudy, though through patches the crescent moon shone kindly onto the cold earth.

"The path I've chosen is definitely the one that will cause me the most strife," he whispered. "But I think it might have been the right choice to take." He closed his eyes slightly. "I won't regret it." He rode on to the north.

* * *

In the one room that served as home for the greying grave keeper when he was on duty, Roxas found that they were just talking of nonsensical things and whimsical thoughts, the sombre mood of the day finally subdued by the drink that Axel had found in bountiful supply. He couldn't say that he wasn't even the slightest bit unhappy that Axel was reluctant to share his past, because even he could understand that the wounds left behind were too raw, and too painful. It was also common courtesy, since he wasn't expecting Axel to ask about his anguished losses either. Of course, such merrymaking could only be short-lived, as the silence finally settled between them.

"It's late," Axel sighed, standing away from the fireplace and looking out of one of the three windows in the house. "You should sleep."

"What about you?"

"I'll stay up a while longer. I'll join you in a moment."

In his slightly inebriated mind, Roxas had read this slightly differently so decided to stay put. "I'm not sleepy yet."

Axel looked back over to him, raising a brow lightly. "Not sleepy huh? Even though you've drunken enough to knock out a young child."

"I can last. Besides, if there are grave robbers like you said there might be, I want to be able to help you." He noted the frown on Axel's face. "You can't deny that I've gotten better at fighting with knives and swords thanks to you and Kairi. You've both taught me well."

Axel sighed, running a hand through his vibrant red hair. "Well, you certainly know how to stroke a person's ego."

"It's the truth though."

"It's only the truth when it's been put into practice."

"Then if a grave robber comes, let it be a chance to prove it to you then."

"I'm not putting you in danger."

"I can protect myself this time though!"

"I've nearly lost you too many times!" Roxas recoiled slightly at that, blinking in disbelief at the sheer strength of Axel's statement and the fearsome look in his eyes. "I'm not going to risk losing you again!"

He turned away, hand curled into a tight fist as if to trap any wisp of emotion that he had unintentionally let loose. Although Roxas felt like it was just out of concern and out of a selfish wish to not lose another person Axel had become close to, part of him felt a little happy that Axel clearly did care about him more than he might like to admit. Or at least, his imagination interpreted the outburst in that way.

"Axel…"

"Sorry," the red-haired man whispered, rubbing his marks with his forefinger and thumb. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

"It's…because you care about what happens to me, isn't it?" Roxas asked, not knowing whether it was drink or madness that had emboldened him to ask such a question. Axel was silent, on slowly turning his head to face him, watching him with guarded eyes. Roxas kept an open face, though his hands fumbled lightly together.

"Get to bed Roxas," Axel sighed, moving away from the window and heading over to his chakrams.

"Answer my question first," Roxas stated firmly, folding his arms against his chest and spreading his feet apart to stand as if he were some impenetrable tower.

"Jog your memory to that day before we landed near Rabanastre," Axel replied coolly, arming himself for a long night. "You'll have your answer."

"Tell me my answer now. With words. Not with actions." He all too well remembered that embrace Axel had surprised him with days before that ill-fated treaty signing. The remembrance of feeling so secure never left his mind. Neither did the sense of uncertainty that came over him when the moment ended. Axel didn't look at him, making for the door. "Axel, please."

"I already said that I care about you, and what ever happens to you," Axel sighed, pausing in front of the door. "More than anyone else who I care about." And with that, he left the cottage, leaving behind a slightly red in the face squire to mull over his words.

* * *

If there was anything that annoyed Cloud more than not knowing what Leon was thinking, it was not knowing where the brunet was at all. Even though he was still angry with him for lying for so long to him about the fate of his elder brothers, it made him angrier still that Leon seemed to have been avoiding him since coming back from the royal tombs. It seemed cowardly to him on Leon's part, and Leon had been the one that had put his life on the line twice before for the blond, and many more times before that for his own people.

He was seated on the bed they shared, arms folded tightly against his chest like a barrier, fingers drumming lightly, a foot tapping impatiently as his vivid blue eyes watched the door like a hawk watching its prey. Although murdering that man seemed like a good idea, he knew that he couldn't. He had to try and be calm about this –something that didn't come easily to the blond he had to admit. Leon held more answers than he liked to have let on.

He barely moved as the door opened, sighing in frustration when it was not the king who came through but Tifa. The raven-haired maid looked at him in confusion. "Are you mad at me all of a sudden?"

"No…just Leon."

"What has the king done this time?" She asked this almost as if she was asking a stubborn child what their parent had done to annoy them so.

"He hasn't shown his face to me since this morning."

"And you're angry at him because of that?" she exclaimed incredulously. "I would've thought that seeing him as little as possible would put you in a good mood!"

Cloud went mute at that, only now just realising the implication of his words. He turned away stubbornly, disbelieving that not seeing Leon at all wasn't making him happy. "Believe me when I say that I don't really care for Leon. It just irks me that he likes to put length to this torture."

"I don't think the king's torturing you," Tifa said tentatively. "Besides, he's probably busy. I mean, there are rumours that Midgar might spring back into civil war, and he did promise the king of Midgar he'd take care of his wife if this were to happen. And then there are some things that still need to be done within Radiant Garden's borders on top of all the foreign policy too. And I'm sure there are one or two other matters within court he has to deal with."

"Tifa…are you saying you haven't seen him either?"

The maid shook her head. "I just assumed he locked himself in his study again. He always just throws himself into work if something's bothering him."

"So you mean…barely anyone has seen him?"

"Only Lord Zexion and the few servants allowed into his study have seen him. He's been quiet otherwise." She then sighed. "It's not unusual when it's the Winter Festival though. It's like he forgot how to have fun."

Because he didn't know how to be a child, Cloud had thought. Being a king at a young age made children become perfect little adults quickly. Leon was the epitome of this. "Has he ever had fun?"

"…in all the years I've known him, he hasn't really just even taken enjoyment out of a small game. I think the only time he's ever smiled is if he's around the prince."

"There must be something he does to get some form of entertainment. He can't work all the time."

"Other than riding, he used to love duelling, but that stopped after Sir Axel scarred his face by accident."

"Huh…" To Cloud, this was understandable; a kingdom that lost their previous monarch and had one that had been just a boy when he was made king would worry about accidental deaths. The door opened again; their eyes went straight over glance at the figure at the door.

It was only a very perplexed Zexion. "So he's not in here either."

"You're looking for Leon?" Cloud asked, thinking this was starting to get odder and odder.

"Yes. He's gone missing from his study. I thought that he would have come here." The small slate-haired man blew his cheeks out in frustration, running a hand through his hair. "This is utterly deplorable. How on earth could he do a vanishing act like this?"

"I'm sure he's within the castle walls, my lord," Tifa reassured. "Have you tried the gardens?"

"That will be my next destination. If not there, I'll try the library."

"Lord Zexion! News! Terrible news!"

The three turned back to the door, seeing one of the elders of the servants clinging to the door frame, eyes wide in shock, cheeks aflame and breath short. Zexion furrowed his brow. "Out with it. What news is there?"

"The king's stallion and all his tack are gone!"

"Stolen?!"

"No. The stables weren't ransacked! And Cid and Shera would have heard the horses panicking! The king's horse doesn't take kindly to people it doesn't know!"

"…Report to the Captain of the Royal Guards immediately!" Zexion bellowed, it all finally clicking into place in his mind. Cloud stood up from his place, it now dawning on him what had happened. "The king's gone missing!"

And at that, Cloud made a snap decision to help. A dead king of Radiant Garden was just going to make him even madder than a live one.

* * *

The clouds had given way to clear moonlit sky as he made his return home, the snow glistening in the pale light. Griever's footsteps were light in the heavy snow, crunching underneath his hooves as he moved briskly down the snowy path. Leon atop of him was deep in thought.

All his life, he was working to avenging his parents' deaths, training both as a king and a warrior. Not only that, he wanted to do everything his father had planned for the people, if not do better than him.

Make no mistake, Laguna before him had been a good king, but even Leon had to admit that Cloud's father had been the better one in his youth, before greedy advisors and men of great power took advantage of him in his old age. Laguna was a peacemaker rather than a warmonger; a builder rather than a destroyer, someone that the warlords of Radiant Garden weren't best pleased with, considering their common and lifelong enemy was an experienced combatant. Leon had hoped that he could be both, but soon realised that striking the balance between mediator and pugilist was very difficult. It didn't mean that he didn't stop trying.

So he waged war on countries he felt that would be needed to benefit Radiant Garden's populace, even if it meant that those countries would spawn rebel groups. But he used peaceful methods too, such as his dealings with the Church's capital in Galbadia. Using his mother's unfortunate death as a means of angering the country against the ones who slew her, making promises of good trading, even sweet talking (and continued appeasement) of the Church's numerous sorceresses, had all helped in this way. Even now, after all this, he was still making good on his promises, acting upon plans that his father had drawn up but never managed to execute.

It was tiring for Leon. There were days when he felt like he needed a break from it all, but he continued on like a stubborn mule.

That's why, he concluded in his mind, that he ran away in this fashion tonight. He would have to thank whoever left the castle back gate open, though he'd probably have to punish them too. Maybe he would pardon them instead. It was most likely an accident.

Griever whinnied and came to a sharp halt, waking the king from his thoughtful trance. "What in the name of Hyne?!" He glared ahead, seeing that the path was blocked by a group of men. Probably about ten of them give or take one or two. His eyes narrowed. "May I help you gentlemen?"

The one that looked like the leader, leaning against a pole weapon of sorts, smacked his lips together heavily, grinning so that the light revealed that he had very little teeth to speak of. "The king travels alone in the dark these days, aye?"

Leon didn't question how they knew his identity. Griever and his lion-skin cloak would have been huge giveaways to anyone. "If you have nothing to ask of me, I'll take my leave." He made to get past, but the men blocked his path.

"We'll let ya past if ya give us yer riches," the leader smirked, coming up to the horse. "I bet the horse cost a pretty penny."

Leon brought his sword out immediately, nearly nicking a bit of flesh of the man's neck. "The horse stays with me." He then, very slowly, uncurled his lips into one of his cruel smiles that he saved when blood was about to be shed. "And you should let me pass if you want to keep your heads on your shoulders."

What happened next, Leon could not have prepared for it. Another man had swiped a staff at him, knocking him clean off Griever who went into a panic and went about bucking and biting and kicking at any person that dared to come near him. Leon landed on his arm heavily, crying out when he felt a bone crack in his arm. With the all the strength in his right arm, he stabbed up into the stomach on the leader, using the motion as a means to pull himself up before kicking the limp body off, the blade of his sword covered in warm crimson-red blood.

With only one working sword arm, Leon sprang into battle, instincts kicking in. There was no going back now; he had to kill or be killed.

* * *

It must have been a little past midnight when Roxas finally went to bed, only taking his boots and trousers off as he crawled under the woollen blanket and onto the straw filled mattress. He was still reeling at Axel's words, though he was oddly happy to hear them. His heart raced every time he thought back to them, repeating them over and over again until it was forever imprinted into his mind.

Axel cared about him! Over everyone else! Any person would be feeling this light, this warm, this heavenly after hearing such words. And even though he had forced himself to bed, Roxas just couldn't fall asleep. What was this feeling? It was so foreign to him…yet so wonderful at the same time.

Was this the love that was so fabled in his childhood? This uncertainty mixed with elation?

He was nearly startled from his sleep when he heard the door open and close, hearing light creaking footsteps on the wooden floor, the slow, smooth motion of a tunic being pulled off, the sound of disbarment and then, finally, a heaving sigh. Axel had returned from his rounds at long last. Roxas expected him to just head over to the other bed, the main one, since he occupied the guest bed.

Axel did the opposite. He clambered in with him, an arm snaking around the young boy's waist over the blanket, pulling him close. His arm was cold. Roxas looked over his shoulder, just to talk to him, but he could see that Axel had already fallen asleep. Just how long had he been out in the cold, he wondered.

He could feel the blood rush up into his cheeks, burning bright red as his heart rate quickened its pace. Although he couldn't shake off his feelings of doubt, he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming happiness, and a wish that maybe the omnipresent god could lengthen the night if not stop time itself. But he steeled himself for disappointment; come the morning, they'd continue on as if nothing had happened. It would have been the right thing to do, the proper thing.

But doing just that infuriated the small blond.

* * *

Although his duties had been over for some time now, Riku had found himself lingering slightly at Sora's door, trying to come to terms with Sora's feelings as well as wrestling with his own. He had no clue how to address emotions, having always been acting like a dutiful servant and advisor to Cloud before the war and taking no interest in anyone else. So it really had come as shock to him when the younger boy had confessed to him.

On top of that, Riku just found that his small cupboard within the servant's quarters had had a rather worrying note slipped in.

Rumours had been flying that one Lady Selphie Tilmit had ran away to elope with her soldier lover, which led on to the belief that they had been the ones that had used the back gate and that the king must have caught wind of it and was chasing after them. He didn't believe the rumours that the king was giving chase, but he certainly wasn't going to not believe that the scarred brunet had used the opened gate to his advantage. That, and apparently someone else had taken advantage of it.

He looked back down into his hand, un-crumpling the piece of parchment that he had scrunched up in his hands. To think that _he_ would just appear out of nowhere.

'_Meet me at The Endeavour Inn tomorrow night. Loz,_' it read. It was definitely Loz's handwriting too; it was a definitive scrawl that was almost childlike in its appearance. But why was he here now? Why did he want to meet him? Part of him thought it was a trap, but another longed to see his brother, despite his wish to sever all his ties to the Jenova name. He scrunched it back into a ball, bringing it close to his chest, feeling the ring that Sora had given him all those months ago brush against his knuckles through the fabric of his tunic.

"I'll go," he muttered to himself. "Just to see what he wants…"

He already knew that whatever it was Loz wanted, he would go straight back to Sora. Surprisingly, his new allegiances weren't easy to waver.

* * *

The night chill was still heavy in the air, but Cloud didn't really notice it as he forced Fenrir into a gallop, snow flying under her feet. He had detached himself from the search group that he had joined with in their search for Leon, a search within Borealis citadel proving fruitless as they moved outside the walls. He didn't know why, but some gut instinct was telling him to head north, towards those royal tombs that they had visited that morning. And although he had a feeling he would be seen as making an escape by taking advantage of the king's sudden disappearance, he was -surprisingly enough- actually concerned for the older man's well being.

And if anything, he just wanted to get Leon back to the safety of his home. He kept telling himself it was because it profited to him more if the king were alive, much like it was vice versa for Leon. But he felt like that the reason was only half-hearted.

Fenrir whinnied suddenly, dragging Cloud out of his thoughts, his sapphire-hued eyes looking at shock at the scene that lay before him.

The corpses of men, all dirty and shabby clothed, lay about in a scattered bloody mess that stained the snow laden path. Some had been decapitated, their headless bodies drooling out great pools of scarlet, while others had suffered terrible stab wounds that soaked their dirt-covered tunics. The weapon they had come from wasn't possible to identify from the size of the wounds; too big to be a knife, too precise to be a greatsword. Ahead of them, a black horse had laid down, protectively shielding a person from the cold winds. Cloud jumped off Fenrir, rushing forward to the horse.

It was definitely Griever. He could recognise that saddle that perched on his back. "Leon!"

The brunet was in a right mess. He was cradling his right arm defensively, panting heavily, cheeks red from the cold and exhaustion, blood staining his clothes and skin. It looked like he had been the victim of one or two stab wounds himself, though he had been fortunate that they were only minor. The king looked up, storm-grey eyes slightly misty, straining to make out who it was.

"…Cloud?" He nearly flinched when Cloud put his hands on his arms. He was frozen to the touch.

"Idiot! You're freezing!" Quickly, Cloud sacrificed the wolf-skin that he had been wearing and pulled it around Leon's body. Fenrir trotted over to them, her face leaning down to nuzzle through Griever's mane. The stallion made no move to greet her, far too tired from fighting off the gang himself and desperately trying to protect his master. "What were you thinking?!"

"…what are you doing?" Leon asked, his teeth chattering lightly.

"Saving your life obviously!" Cloud snapped, looking around to see if he could locate the lion-skin Leon always wore. He noticed it had fallen off somewhere near an armless and headless body. Barely looking at the corpse, he fetched it, grimacing as he felt warm blood in his hands. "What sort of idiot goes out on his own on a winter night?!"

"…clearly my sort of idiot."

"Correct," Cloud sarcastically replied, now throwing over the lion-skin over the king's shoulders. "Honestly, I don't know whether to murder you myself or wait until you come up with some clever plan to get yourself killed." Leon didn't respond, clearly far more interested in his arm at the moment. Cloud furrowed his eyebrows, looking at it. "You broke your arm, didn't you?"

Leon nodded. "I…I can't move it."

"How did you break it?"

"…I got whacked off Griever."

"Ah." He tried to get Leon to stand. "Think you can ride?" The brunet just nodded, though he struggled to get his leg over Griever. Once he did and was sitting in the saddle, Griever took the cue to get up, Cloud holding Leon steady as best as he could while the scarred man clung to the saddle with his legs and functioning hand. "I'll take Griever's reins and lead you along. You just worry about staying on top."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You're going to get cold."

"It's not that far from Borealis. I can manage." He grabbed hold of Griever's reins, jumping up onto Fenrir and then urging her into a slow walk. The stallion followed obediently. "It'd be better for us to keep you warm and moving. Hyne knows how long you've been out here."

As they rode in silence, Cloud couldn't help but looked to the side of him to make sure Leon was okay. Every time he looked, he got the same sight: vulnerable but stubbornly trying to act tough so that the other wouldn't think he was weak. He thought this side of the king was actually a little…_endearing_.

"Hey Leon."

"What?" the other grumbled, purposely averting his eyes.

"You don't have to look strong in front of me. I'm not going to take advantage." He then sighed, looking back towards the path to Borealis. "I was told that taking advantage of a person's moment in weakness is a cowardly thing to do."

"Don't say such stupid things to your elders," Leon growled, though it wasn't at all defensive like Cloud had expected. If anything, it sounded grateful, even if it was begrudgingly so. Cloud just shook his head lightly, unable not to think of Leon acting like a child that had just been scolded. He didn't say anymore.

* * *

It sounded like a wounded beast was being put out of its misery in the king's chambers, scaring some of the servants out of their wits when they heard the tremendous guttural roar.

"That hurt!"

"I am a doctor, not a nurse, my liege," Vexen pointedly reminded him, looking at him with chilly green eyes. "Of course what I do is going to hurt."

Cloud was trying his hardest not to snicker at the sight, only behaving when Zexion threw him a sharp glance. He knew that Zexion was still a little bit in disbelief that the blond had actually gone out of his way to find the king considering all that the blond had said and done.

"Honestly though," Vexen tutted, bandaging the poles against Leon's lower arm firmly. Leon's face contorted slightly in pain; this was probably the most expressional Cloud had ever seen the scarred brunet. "What on earth possessed you to go out like that? That's a stunt I'm half expecting your concubine to do."

"More to the point," Zexion clipped in, looking at the king with his piercing indigo gaze, "just what on earth happened to you?"

Leon stubbornly looked away. "Just a bunch of common thieves. They took me by surprise."

"Well they clearly weren't a bunch of common thieves if they managed to smack you off Griever and break your arm in the process. They seemed like an organized gang."

"Hold still my liege," Vexen muttered, nearly yanking Leon's arm down but thought better of it when he received one of the king's most deadliest glares.

"So you think they picked that spot in particular?" he asked Zexion.

"More likely, that was their hunting ground. You were their unfortunate prey." He then shook his head. "It's a miracle you're here now." The petit advisor turned to Cloud, sighing lightly. "Thank you. For saving him."

For a moment, Cloud seemed unsure of what to do. He then bowed his head lightly, averting his gaze away from everyone's. "I was just paying him back for saving my life a few times."

"There. Done," Vexen declared, standing away from the king. "Plenty of bed rest, don't you dare try to move that arm and I'll come back periodically to change your bandaging." On the bed, the king was looking a little disgruntled, white strips of bandaging encasing his broken arm and part of his upper body. "And don't even try to do vigorous activity," Vexen added. "Or else."

"…yes Vexen," Leon muttered, clearly being a bit more obedient when it concerned the older green-eyed doctor.

"Good. Zexion, its best we leave him to rest now. Cloud, you're on your trust not to antagonize the king."

"Alright." His gaze fell back towards the king as the other two men, discussing rapidly to each other in hushed voices. In that moment, their eyes met and locked; vivid sapphire blue against stormy blue-grey in a small moment of wonder and uncertainty, as if they had just met and were sizing each other up.

"…I guess," Leon started, though his voice sounded strained, "I should say thank you too…"

"Save it," Cloud sighed. "I was only repaying you." He sat down on the edge of the bed, bringing his legs up into a lotus-position, his hands wrapping around his knees to bring them up to his chest. "Besides, what's the point of you dying if I'm not the one that killed you?"

"You still hate me, huh." For a moment, a wry smile appeared of Leon's face.

"I don't hate you. Or at least, not as much as I used to," Cloud sighed, knowing that there was no point in trying to kid himself anymore. "I just dislike you." He had to hold back another snigger when he saw the sheer look of shock cross the brunet's face. "My, you're expressive tonight."

"Oh shut it Cloud," Leon growled, looking away indignantly. His face was red; Cloud knew that the scarred brunet would deny it was embarrassment and say it was just after-effects from being out in the cold. He knew better.

"Do you hate me then?" Cloud asked, leaning over slightly.

For a long while, Leon was silent. Cloud shook his head, starting to turn away. "…I don't hate you either." Cloud looked over his shoulder, his expression matching Leon's: unreadable.

"Well, at least we're on the same page then."

"We haven't exactly acted like that."

"There is still a chance. We still have a deal. I just have to get everyone in this godforsaken kingdom to like me." He looked over to him. "My problem is will you keep to it."

"You should be more worried if the people of Hollow Bastion will be willing to accept an ex-concubine as their leader," Leon remarked. "For all you know, they might want your brother as their leader instead."

Cloud went mute at that, the notion only having just entered his mind. Leon was right; what if they didn't want him as a leader?

"For now," Leon whispered, "let's worry about getting things better." He looked at him with an intense look. "I've had enough of fighting against you. I want us to work together."

"How can we work together if we can't trust each other?!" Cloud demanded. "You only just told me what really happened to my older brothers today!"

"I've told you the truth. And you have my word that I won't keep things from you anymore." He pursed his lips. "I know what I did was wrong. The question now is, can you forgive me for it?"

And although Cloud wanted to scream at him and say that he would never forgive him, he couldn't bring himself to. Nor could he bring himself to say that all was pardoned. Because it wasn't. "Don't say something so pathetic."

"Is that your version of a maybe?"

Cloud didn't answer the question, instead pushing the king back down onto the bed. "You should sleep. Doctor's orders."

"Don't think I'm going to forget this conversation."

"Duly noted, Leon," Cloud replied. "Now sleep."


	42. Shock

**A/N: **-collapses with fatigue- urgh, this chapter was hard to write. I think I chose the wrong word to summarise this chapter. Ah well, at least its done (37 days after update....that has got to be a new personal best for slow writing!)

In other news, HUS got fanart! (well, it had fanart for a long while...just forgot to mention it last update...). Here the links for them both:  
juggernautics (dot) deviantart (dot) com /art /quot-Heart-Under-Siege-quot-Fanart-124288722  
atemozzarella (dot) deviantart (dot) com /art /Heart-Under-Siege-128332329

A big thank you to juggernautics of deviantart and AteMozzarella (thank you again for the early birthday present!)

OK, I have a feeling I might be even slower with the next chapter, just to warn you. I mean, other than aforementioned birthday, I've got visitors as soon as I get back from the annual birthday trip and then I've got to get prepared for university, so I've no idea when I'll have the time to even sit down to write (but I will be making constant notes throughout! Promise!)

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far!! Please continue to read and enjoy! And review! For they are my caramel waffle ice cream (booyah! I'm off the diet and totally slimmed down (well, by my standards XD)!)

P.S. In view of what the context in a certain paragraph is; the 'ass' word in a sentence means the relative of the donkey, not the...well...the thing you sit on.

* * *

**Shock.** That was probably how best to describe the expression on Vexen's face as he came to the king's door that morning, intending to check his bandaging and wounds. Instead, he heard something from behind the door.

"Grah, Cloud you're killing me!"

"Take it like a man you wuss. Or can you _deal it_ but not _take it_?"

"Go easy on an injured man!"

"You didn't go easy on me when we first started this!"

"That was different!"

"This just shows that you really can't handle not being the one in control, eh?"

"Hey! Hands off my piece!"

"Since when did you telling me what to do ever stop me from doing what I want to do?"

Vexen chose that moment to burst in. "Did I not warn you to not take part in any vigorous activity?!" And then he realised the error in his judgement.

The pair was just sitting down with the chess board, captured pieces scattered along the sides. Leon looked at the chief medic with narrowed eyes while Cloud looked at him in mild confusion.

"Chess constitutes as 'vigorous activity'?" the king remarked.

"Apologies," Vexen mumbled, thoroughly humiliated by his blunder. "I only came in to check on you."

The brunet sighed, leaning back into the chair he occupied, bandaged arm propped up and hand hanging limply. "Be quick about it…" Vexen nodded his head, immediately going about his business while Cloud took the chance to capture the king's rook. In revenge, the king's knight took Cloud's bishop.

Although it was strange for the two of them who as different as night and day getting along so well, Vexen felt thankful for the small moment of peace between after the drama they had been through.

"So, anything I ought to know about?" Leon asked, waiting for Cloud to make his move. The blond proceeded to move his white knight piece towards the black king.

"Well, Zexion and Kiros should give you more details, but there's a bit of an uproar over Lady Selphie."

"What has she done?"

"Eloped. With one of Xigbar's archers no less. Lord Tilmitt is crying out for his head."

"And I'm guessing Xigbar's not exactly being helpful either." The king sighed, rubbing his temple lightly before moving his queen to capture one small pawn on the opposition. It was no secret that Lord Tilmitt, the governor of the North West District of Borealis, and Xigbar, who was the governor of the South East District, were always finding excuses to have arguments with one another.

"Would you expect him to do any less than that?" the medic replied, re-bandaging the brunet's wounds carefully. "He'd make sure that there was an arrow in Lord Tilmitt's throat if he ever dared."

"So I'm guessing that as soon as I step out of this room, I'm going to be bombarded by both of them."

"That is the wide-spread assumption among court, yes."

Leon visibly grimaced at the thought, resting his chin in his free hand, pondering over how to approach the matter. Cloud just looked on in curiosity, having to wonder what the other was thinking. Because in a situation such as this, Leon had to upset one side in order to please the other.

"It would probably work better in my favour if I were to appease to Xigbar since he's the warlord…"

"And Lord Tilmitt?" Vexen asked carefully.

"I'll just have to figure out a way around him. He's easier to manage."

"That's quite a claim."

"Well it's either that or risk Xigbar do something that'll take us by surprise." Leon looked away slightly. "I know all too well that Xigbar's unpredictable. Plus, he also has control over a key part of the army. The Tilmitts' influence is only in court."

"So you'll go for power over prestige?"

"Well, unless there's a way to keep both, I'm going to have to upset one to please the other."

"'Twill be a risky choice. You might receive a substantial amount of criticism for that."

"Good thing I'm not the kind of person to care what the gossips think." Leon pulled his arm away once Vexen was done, resisting the temptation to loosen the tight bonds. "And yet, I'm the kind of person that cares about whether they have the right support from the right people."

"I think most leaders are like that, my liege," Vexen commented. He then bowed lowly, long dirty blond hair falling past his shoulders in cascades. "I'll be taking my leave, my liege. Have a pleasant day."

Cloud watched as the blond medic left the room before turning back to Leon, who had taken to nursing his head in his uninjured arm. "You're stressed."

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious," Leon growled, moving a rook to capture Cloud's last bishop. "Check."

"But it's not just because of me or because of what happened in Dalmasca though. Isn't it?" Cloud moved his queen into the carefully laid trap that he had forced Leon to fall into; the black king was cornered. "Checkmate."

Leon sighed, pushing himself back into the headrest of the bed. "You've become way too good at this."

"Plenty of practice and having nothing much else to do until you appear. Now talk."

"It's about Hollow Bastion…"

"What of it?"

"Your people are beginning to ask questions."

"Questions?" Cloud asked, raising a brow in bemusement. "About what?"

"Well, it was announced that you were killed in action after that battle," Leon started, clearly very carefully choosing his words. Cloud only nodded his head; he remembered the look of shock on Leon's would-be assassin all those months ago when he was revealed to him. "And people talk, so we were expecting news of you or your brother to spread eventually. We were prepared for rebellions or any sort of conflict." He pursed his lips. "We weren't prepared for people to just stop what they were doing and just wait for news."

"What?" It was Cloud's turn to look surprised, standing up suddenly and slamming his hands on the bed. Their game fell to the rush-covered stone floor with a wooden crash. "What do you mean they've stopped?!"

"As I said. They've stopped working, stopped getting out of their homes, stopped going to their churches, they've stopped entirely. They aren't even raising together arms to fight. They just refuse to continue their lives."

"…they'll starve…or die of thirst…or of sickness…"

"It's because no one on our side is willing to talk about either you or your brother, so your people have decided that they won't do anything at all until they get their answers."

"And you're not sure if that's your answer to give, correct?"

"Exactly," Leon sighed, running his uninjured hand through his hair. "It was something that's been on my mind for a while."

"How long has this been going on?"

"A week after we returned from Dalmasca."

"And you didn't think to tell me?!"

"Do you honestly think I could tell you after that scare we had back then?" Leon retorted, narrowing his eyes at the blond. "Besides, it might mean that I would have to tell the people of Hollow Bastion the truth of what truly happened to your elder brothers. I had to tell you that before I came to that bridge."

"…why?"

"It's like I said the last time we talked about this. We can't keep be at each other's throats all the time. It's better to work together."

"Yes, but for whose sakes?" Cloud asked, deep down having a feeling that Leon would only ask for _his_ help if it somehow benefited him or his barbarian court.

"Everyone's. Surely you don't want your people to suffer by their own hand."

To this, Cloud had no counter. He sighed, knowing it was better to concede defeat than to stubbornly fight on. Living with Leon, he had learned when to pick his battles. "What can I do? Even if I go back to Hollow Bastion, sooner or later people are going to find out the shameful existence I lived here. They aren't exactly going to pledge allegiance to a concubine."

"I know," Leon responded. "That's why…I need your support for your brother's education." Cloud immediately flinched at that, looking up at Leon as if he had sprouted another head with a third eye.

"Roxas'…education?"

"He's young, but he's untainted by us 'barbarians'. Plus, people know that he yet lives. Aurelias isn't far from Hollow Bastion, and people from Axel's lands travel and trade freely between the two. Roxas has already gained somewhat of a reputation as a hard worker." Leon watched Cloud's reaction, carefully selecting his next words as he continued. "His placement in Hollow Bastion will work favourably, though he will never be granted the title of king."

"And what of me?"

"You know Hollow Bastion's customs and court far better than I or anyone in Radiant Garden. You can teach him all that you know."

"And _what _of _me_?" Cloud asked again, far more firmly than the last, fire in his blue eyes. Leon grimaced a little at the look, knowing that this was where he could ultimately set the fiery blond off again.

"You might…have to disappear from history's pages."

"In other words, pretend to be dead." Cloud glared at him angrily. "In case you haven't noticed, it's rather hard to keep up a pretence of death when you're within public knowledge!"

"Not quite," Leon corrected. "It's true that my people know that _a _concubine exists, but they don't know _who_ or _what gender_ it might be."

"And the court?"

"They refer to you as Fenrir these days instead of 'the wolf'."

"They refer to me by my horse?!"

"No. Surely you know the story of Fenrir?"

"Story? What story?"

Leon just blinked, before slyly commenting, "My, Hollow Bastion seemed to be home to such _learned_ people."

"If this is a chance for you to make a snide remark about Hollow Bastion then I won't help you with your new little scheme!" Cloud threatened, glowering furiously at him.

"Fine, fine," Leon sighed, lifting his one unharmed hand to as if in surrender. "I apologise for that." He shifted himself a little bit, in a bid to make himself comfortable. "There's a story here, back when this land belonged to tribes instead of kingdoms, that there were demons that kept watch over the mortal realm. Among them was a golden wolf called Fenrir."

Cloud sat down again, pulling his knees up to his chest as he watched Leon intently, having never heard of such a story before, not even in his earliest of childhood memories.

"Demons usually were never meant to concern themselves with the affairs of man, but Fenrir would actually go out of its way to guard and guide lost travellers in the forest, but sometimes it would find itself getting into battles with warriors that purposely lost their way in order to approach the demon. However, one night, a chieftain lost his way in the forest purposely, not to fight the demon, but in hopes of taming it as his tribe was in danger of becoming slaughtered by the hands of another tribe that had control of the demon Odin, Fenrir's arch nemesis."

"I guess that this demon didn't easily give in to the chieftain."

"Correct," Leon nodded. "It didn't. They fought for three days and three nights until they couldn't fight anymore. Although Fenrir wasn't tamed, he gained respect for the chieftain's determination to protect his tribe even if it cost him his life."

"What happened after that?"

"Fenrir didn't come with the chieftain, but the chieftain decided to fight for his tribe, even though it looked like all hope was lost. But when he had to face Odin, Fenrir appeared to protect him." Leon stopped for a moment, only now just realising that Cloud was looking at him with a rapt attention that had been otherwise unseen before. He smiled lightly. "Maybe I'll finish the story later."

"What? But I want to know what happened! Did Fenrir win? Did Odin win? Did that tribe get wiped out?"

"If that story is true, I doubt Radiant Garden would be standing now if that tribe was destroyed by Odin and Fenrir could do nothing to protect them." Cloud blinked, for a moment not understanding what the brunet meant. "That story is part of the tale of how Radiant Garden came to be." The scarred king very faintly smiled at the blond. "They call you Fenrir now not because of your horse's name, and only partially because they thought you rather wolf-like rather than like the eagle your family are affiliated with. It's because you've protected me and helped me-" he then chuckled dryly "-that some people within the castle believe you're Fenrir reborn in a human form."

Cloud's face was a picture of pure astonishment. To be truthful, he didn't know whether to take being compared to a mythical guardian wolf as a compliment or not.

"Right…getting back to the situation with Hollow Bastion and your brother…"

* * *

The whole of the morning after had been an awkward affair between knight and squire, especially since it had been Axel that had been purposely trying to avoid the subject of the sleeping arrangement he had made last night. Roxas knew he probably didn't exactly help matters either since he was also loath to bring up the topic as well, though he honestly, truly, did want to understand the red-haired man better than he did now. When he did work up the nerve to bring it up, Axel would suddenly find something to distract him or find a matter far more pressing to deal with, even throughout the long ride back to his longhouses.

If this was what rejection felt like, Roxas was already hating it. That much was clear at how suddenly vigorous and angry his energy was while he did all his usual chores. Even Flame, the usually frisky and easily annoyed colt, had become surprisingly docile before the young blond during grooming.

"I don't understand anymore," he grumbled irritably under his breath. "How could he at one moment get all spoony around me and then start ignoring me the next?"

To this, he got no reply. Not that he wanted any from anyone, as it would have meant someone was eavesdropping. Flame gazed at him solemnly, his dark eyes unable to answer the blond's difficulty. He sighed, patting the colt on his neck. "Sorry," he whispered. "This isn't your fault at all. It's just…" He found his head falling against Flame's neck, finding comfort in the bay colt's shaggy winter coat. "I just wish I knew what Axel was thinking…at least, what he really thinks of me…"

To this, Flame nudged him lightly with his nose, making a small braying sound as if to give solace to the troubled youngster for his master's ambivalent behaviour. Roxas sighed, smiling a little bit, though it felt strained against his face. "Is it…really too much to ask for some form of confirmation?"

Little did he know that Axel had been overhearing this from his place leaning against the stable wall outside, face in a solemn expression that betrayed absolutely nothing about what he was thinking.

* * *

Night was about to fall when Riku finally got Sora changed for bed, having had yet another tiring day avoiding the prince's nuances of love and also his questions of the other's feelings towards him. To be perfectly honest, he was growing rather tired of it. True that Sora would never speak of the matter when others uninvolved were present, but Riku had just wanted to matter to be dropped completely. In his mind, it was just a phase. The prince would eventually get over it and then they could just go back to being master and servant with a close friendship. It was better that way.

And yet, an annoying voice in his head would snidely ask him that if that was the case, why was he wearing that ring the prince gave him around his neck all the time? To this, the silver-haired youth had no answer to give. For now though, it was a way to help make his decision on whatever Loz would ask of him tonight. After all, he had already made his bed over this issue; he had to lay in it now.

"Oh, Riku? Turning in for the night?"

The silver-haired youth spun around on his heels, looking up at the raven-haired head maid that was currently making her way down one of the castle's many spiralling staircases. He bowed lightly to her. "I have an errand to do before I go back to the quarters."

"Oh? What kind of errand?"

"One of the prince's many whims," Riku lied smoothly, not wanting to reveal his true intentions. "Concerning his stomach naturally."

"Ah." Tifa nodded her head in understanding, smiling sympathetically. "Well, I hope it's nothing too much."

"Just chestnuts. He's had a sudden craving for them again."

"Roasted or candied this time?" Tifa asked, having an all-knowing look about her. "I still remember that look he had on his face when he first tried a candied chestnut."

"Fortunately, it's just roasted. It should be easy to get a hold of."

"Well, you have fun with your chestnut hunt." The raven-haired woman yawned, covering her mouth with a hand more used to rough cleaning and harsh life. "I'm knackered. I think I overdid it today."

"Have a pleasant evening Tifa."

"You too Riku." She left him to stand in the corridor, making her way to the servants' quarters, where he should have headed for too. But he did not. He made his way out as quietly as possible, wrapping the inky cloak as tightly as he could to his thin frame.

If he was caught, and if Loz was identified as a Jenova, he was risking being condemned as a traitor. Traitors who were of servant status were hanged if caught and tried successfully. And their bodies were left dangling on the side of the wall in the gibbets for the crows and carrion birds to peck at. The thought sent a disgusted and fearful shudder down the youth's spine, but he soldiered on.

If he didn't meet Loz, he knew that he might not ever be able to shake off the shackles of being part of the Jenova family, but at the same time he risked having them tightened to the point it suffocated him.

He put one foot in the snowy kitchen garden, which would lead on to the gateway into the town. Only pausing for a moment, he made a determined intake of breath and marched out towards town.

* * *

The Endeavour Inn was in one of Borealis' seedy areas, filled with thieves, beggars, harlots and madmen. It was no place for any sane person to be walking around in at night, or anyone with links to the royal household for that matter.

And yet here he was, walking among the scum and "sewer children". In a moment like this, he was deeply grateful for the long cloak as it hid his uniform and his long silver hair from view. Attracting attention was the last thing he wanted to do at this point. He pushed the door open into the smoky and dimly lit pub, luminous green eyes watching the forms of drunkards and thugs as he tried to find Loz's towering figure.

"You a'right luv?" Riku looked to his left, seeing a woman with her bosom straining at her thin linen tunic dress. He cringed underneath his hood, turning away and about to move away, towards the barkeep. The woman didn't follow. Or at least, he didn't think she did.

"Excuse me," he called, leaning against the bar, looking straight at the grungy back of the balding barkeep. Said barkeeper turned around, showing a dirty lined face with a mouth that homed only a few yellowing teeth. Riku kept a blank face, knowing that he had seen far worse in his past. "Is there a man called 'Zol' here?"

"Over there." The man pointed over to a dark corner, where another figure clothed in black and covered by a hood sat at a table, head bowed over a pewter mug. Riku nodded his thanks, walking towards the corner and then swinging his body into the seat across from him, looking at the hooded figure.

"Loz."

"Riku." He looked up, revealing those familiar luminous orbs that all the members of the Jenova family owned. Instead of the usual cold, calculating face that Riku thought was far more suited to the Jenova name, he saw a warm and friendly look. "It's been too long."

"What's the latest plot then?" Riku asked, narrowing his eyes accusingly.

"Come in peace," Loz responded, lifting his hands up in surrender. "You know that all the cloak and dagger charade doesn't come naturally to me."

"Then why are you here?"

"Brother said he'll take you back," Loz reported in a low voice, looking at him in all seriousness. "Even though you betrayed us."

"How kind of him," Riku muttered dryly. He already knew that Sephiroth would kill him at the first chance that presented itself.

"All you have to do is tell us all you know; everything you know."

"In other words, be his pet rat in the enemy camp."

"It's all in the name of Hollow Bastion."

"All in the name of Jenova you mean," Riku retorted, glaring at him. "I'm not stupid Loz. I know what our eldest brother is like."

Loz shook his head, sighing in despair. "Do you think this is what Mother wanted? For all of us to be arguing over something as petty as this?"

"This isn't petty Loz!" Riku snapped, earning him some curious looks. Riku glared at them all under his hood, forcing them to look away. He furiously whispered back to Loz, "This isn't about what Mother wants anymore! For Hyne's sakes, Mother's _dead_!" He then took a deep breath and stood up. "Tell Sephiroth 'thanks, but no thanks'. I've changed my allegiances."

"You'll turn your back on us?"

"I already have." Riku started making steps to the door.

And that was when Loz grabbed him, making the youth give out a yelp in surprise. No one lifted a finger to help, having no knowledge of what this giant of a man was capable of. Riku struggled in his elder brother's grip, knowing that screaming for help would only fall on deaf, frightened ears. He started to be dragged to the back, up the stairs to the rooms, screeching for Loz to let him go. But Loz was unrelenting, forcing the young boy into the room that he occupied in the inn.

Riku was unceremoniously thrown onto the bed, his hood falling off his head and his hair splaying out like eagle wings. Loz pulled his own hood off, revealing his short and wavy silver hair. His face was no longer friendly.

"Sorry Riku, but this is for your own good," Loz grumbled, looming over his younger brother. Riku's eyes darted around, looking for something -_anything!_- to use as a means of defence. He knew all to well what Loz was meaning to do; it was the same method that he had suffered at the hands of his other brothers, particularly Sephiroth. Loz grabbed his arms, pressing them to the bed above his head. His grips were like iron manacles, slowly crushing Riku's smaller wrists until the bones broke.

In a moment that Riku wasn't sure if it had been instinct or pure stupidity, he kicked out right into Loz's groin, forcing the bigger man to release him. Taking the chance, and knowing that he was faster than the giant Jenova, he dashed out of the door, pulling his cloak around him quickly to hide his face from view. He heard Loz groan behind him as he tried to recover from the attack, which only put extra speed into the youth's steps as memories of the regular beatings he used to receive at the hands of his elder brothers, and even from the woman they called 'Mother', came pouring back to him.

He disappeared into the dark, chilled night, his breaths heavy and laboured as it appeared in small mists, snow crunching under his feet. He was deaf to the wenches, to the beggars, to the thieves, and to the thugs. All he could hear was the same thumping in his chest that he had always heard when he was terrified; when the beating was going to start; when the bruises were about to bloom as grey and yellow roses; when not even a choir of screams and groans would stop the soulless actions taken by his own family.

When he finally reached the quiet market street, Riku collapsed against a wall, clinging to his chest, a fistful of tunic and that precious ring gripped securely in his hand. He knew that what he had done, he had surely made himself a prime target for his brothers' plots and schemes, or at least a scapegoat in case they failed. But he didn't regret this choice. In fact…he was happy that he had chosen the life of servitude that had a better chance of happiness, then the life of an overlord that had none at all.

* * *

Cloud could only look at the bare back of the brunet, his body still shivering in the aftermath of what he had actually (willingly) done only moments ago, his vivid blue eyes having gone misty from the immense pleasure he had allowed himself to partake in. The king was leaning against the window, looking out into the pale, snow-covered landscape of his home, his muscles glistening and relaxed after the 'vigorous activity' they had done; against the good doctor's orders they might add.

"You're worrying," Cloud muttered, turning as best as his sore bottom would allow him. He hissed a bit as his left hip stung from the extra weight put on upon it. The king just nodded, not denying that he was indeed worrying. "It's about Roxas, isn't it?"

"Partially," Leon replied, turning around to face him. It was quite surprising that he still had the energy to move after what they had done despite being injured severely. But then again, Cloud had to admit that he actually did most of the work this time. "Partially wondering if siding with Xigbar was a good idea or not."

"It's as you said, Xigbar controls one of the key parts of your armies." Cloud looked away slightly. "I would have done the same if I were in your place. That old fool Tilmitt is just a fat cockerel just waiting to be killed and plucked for dinner anyway."

Leon could only chuckle. "As bloodthirsty as always, I see."

"You've started to like me for it though."

"Hmm. True." The brunet ventured over to the bed, sitting down along the edge and leaning on his uninjured arm, an amused look on his face now. "Must say, you surprised me when you actually threw yourself onto me earlier."

"I did not throw myself at you!" Cloud denied hotly, a healthy blush erupting on his cheeks as he sat up straight. He instantly regretted it when it felt like all the force of fast-burning fire had lit up against his backside. "I merely offered to relieve you!"

"In other words: you really wanted to do it." Leon couldn't help but smirk victoriously. "If you _really_ didn't want to do it, you would have rather made love to an ass than sleep with me."

"Oh shut up," Cloud snapped, falling back onto the bed and hiding his face in the pillow in hopes of suffocating himself. He didn't know how it happened, but the humiliation was far more excruciating than the first time they copulated (by force from Leon's part). He held back a shiver when he felt Leon's lips press against the nape of his neck.

"It was pleasant," he whispered into the blond's ear, his voice delightfully breathy against the soft fleshy shell. Cloud couldn't control the break out of shivers he felt run down his spine, but he hid his face deeper into the pillow, unwilling to show just how much he enjoyed the move. "I think I like you're idea of bed rest better than Vexen's."

"Don't push your luck," Cloud's muffled voice grumbled, only barely turning his face so that one brilliant blue eye could look at the brunet.

"I'm not. Just stating how I see it." The brunet nestled down close, though he realised immediately that he couldn't sleep on his front at all. Cloud just shook his head.

"Swap sides," he grumbled, taking his head from the pillow. "You clearly aren't happy where you are now."

"You don't have to."

"I do have to," Cloud sighed. "Because you like to grab me in your sleep and you can't do that with a faulty arm." He moved over Leon, gently lowering himself down onto his other side. Leon took the chance to turn around onto his back. For a long moment, they could only stare at each other, silent as stone graves standing close to one another.

"Hey…"

"What is it?"

"…no, nothing."

"Leon?"

"Don't worry about it. Just get to sleep."

They were silent again; Cloud knew that it would be best not to get himself too concerned with Leon's affairs. But on the other hand…Leon's concerns were over his brother, so that involved him anyway.

He just didn't know if Roxas could handle the shock of what Leon was proposing to do once that letter the king had sent off finally reached Aurelias, or if he could handle the other surprise that was written within the words in that selfsame letter.


	43. Inevitable

**A/N:** I had a major writer's block with this chapter. So I did the only thing I could do when I'm stumped: blare out the rock-love songs (particularly those done by Nickelback, Aerosmith, Skillet, Maroon 5 (well, they're listed as alternative, not rock, so they don't count...)). Seems to have done the trick: no lemons unfortunately (not enough space and the atmosphere wasn't right), but next time, its a promise (I owe it to myself: I haven't written the DECENT and FAR MORE CIVILLISED Cleon lemon yet -gulps- and I'm running out of chapters!!)

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed! And a big thank you to Evellesa-ai for the fanart! It was a nice birthday present for me XD

Check it out here: evellesa (dot) deviantart (dot) come /art /LeonXCloud - 131481612

Right, onwards to Chapter 44 (after this brief break with Axel, Roxas, Sora and Riku)!

* * *

**Inevitable**. The news that Axel had been faced with three days after the Winter Festival could be described as that quite easily, along with a few other words. Another way that could best illustrate this was being given a death sentence. He sighed, putting the letter down, folding it back so that the broken royal seal was once again whole.

So the king was being put under pressure by the Fulmine family. Clearly, for the king to suddenly get involved in his knight's so-called engagement suggested that he had done something that might be seen as unpopular in court, which usually meant he had to balance it out to restore the court's support. In this case, it meant taking back his very subtle help on delaying Axel's impending marriage to Larxene as much as possible.

"Well…it was good while it lasted," Axel sighed, slumping into his chair. He had managed to avoid fulfilling the engagement for a full five years all due thanks to Leon's campaigns…now that there was no war to fight in and no mission to partake in, he couldn't escape. That is, of course, unless he wanted to forsake the sword and become a monk instead. Or commit suicide but at the risk of being buried at the crossroads so that his spirit could never find the way to the Paradise promised by Hyne.

What surprised him though was the outline of Leon's new plan, revised from his old one. Though, in hoping to gain support from the still relatively volatile state of Hollow Bastion, it meant he would lose Roxas. He wasn't sure if he was prepared to make this trade.

No. He wasn't prepared to give up. Not even in the slightest. Trading a life with Roxas for a life with Larxene just wasn't worth it; and yet, he had little choice at all.

"Troublesome news, my lord?" Luxord asked, putting down a goblet of warmed ale on the table beside Axel. The redhead just lifted the letter up; it was an unspoken agreement that Luxord was allowed to read all letters before Axel got to them with exception to letters from the king as usually they were more personal. Another unspoken agreement was that Luxord was allowed to read the letters out loud if he wanted to. And oft the case, he did.

"'Axel, the Fulmine House has been badgering at me about your sloth approach to your and the Lady Larxene's engagement. They swear to pull out all support they have within the court and in the military unless I get involved. Forgive me, but the situation is critical (a letter from Zexion shall alert you to the details of other happenings in court).'" Luxord paused, rubbing his blond beard thoughtfully as his eyes darted along the page. "My…the servants aren't going to be happy with that. But on the other hand, I think they'll be happy that the next generation is possible now…"

"Just keep reading," Axel grumbled, putting a fist to his forehead. Of course, Larxene's arrival would also spell the immediate future of the Aurelias' bloodline, so naturally the servants would be anxious that they…got on with it. He shuddered mildly at the thought though.

"'In other news-" Luxord continued. "'I must order that young Roxas is to come to Borealis as soon as possible. The situation in Hollow Bastion is looking bleak, and he may be the key to solving it. Until then, please carry on as you normally do. As soon as he leaves for Borealis, he is no longer your squire, but a member of Hollow Bastion's, and Radiant Garden's, court. Your faithful friend, Leon.'"

There was a silence when Luxord's voice faded away, neither man willing to break it first. The manservant very carefully folded the letter back to the shape it was, looking at it as if it were the strangest creature ever to share the earth with the rest of Hyne's creation. "So…Master Roxas is being restored to his former position."

"Am I being selfish when I say that I don't want him to go?" Axel asked, looking up at the ceiling in deep thought.

"Well, considering that the Lady Larxene has the grace of a beast, it is understandable that you don't want to let go of Master Roxas."

"Luxord…make sure Roxas doesn't know about this."

"You plan on keeping him out of the know?"

"No…I want to tell him myself, but on my own terms."

Luxord bowed respectfully to Axel. "As you wish, my lord. But be warned." He looked up. "Young Roxas might not take the news as calmly as you have done."

"I know." Axel stood up slowly. "I know Roxas far too well."

* * *

He had a feeling Sora knew that he was hiding something. Though he couldn't quite pin down what it was that gave him that inkling of a suggestion that his young charge was suspicious of him, Riku couldn't help but feel nervous around the small brunet. Though, to be honest, the fact that he was wearing tight leather bands around his wrists to keep his sleeves up as of that night he met Loz would cause anyone to wonder why the silver-haired youth had a sudden change of fashion.

Zexion had had matters to attend to concerning the Tilmitt family, so the young prince was having a rare day off from studying despite it only being a few days after the Winter Festival. Instead of running off like a lunatic like Riku expected, Sora was actually just writing. A letter to a close friend –perhaps Lady Kairi, Riku had presumed. He hoped that if this were the case, if he reported it to the right people, the household might be encouraged by the apparent blossoming relationship between the two friends. Then at the very least Sora could stop cavorting about proclaiming how much he cared about him.

He wasn't being cruel, or cold, or insensitive. He was trying to protect Sora, and lay the foundations of a much more promising and fulfilling relationship. With the correct gender he might add.

If that were the case, he had to ask himself, why was he feeling so wretched about it?

"You're hiding something," Sora proclaimed at long last, his quill still scritch-scratching along the piece of gently curling parchment.

"I'm not hiding anything, my prince," Riku sighed, preparing himself for the onslaught of questions that would follow. He was busying himself with making sure all the prince's small collection of baubles were in place on top of an ornamental chest from Wutai.

"You haven't left the chest for long time," Sora pointed out, drying his quill from the dark ink and placing it carefully on the desk. "You won't even come near me."

"…there's nothing for you to worry about," Riku said quietly, moving away from those glass decorations as if they were a dangerous animal that was watching him with wary eyes.

"There is!" Sora yelled shrilly, turning around in his seat. "And I don't know what it is that I've done to offend you so much!"

"You have-"

"Clearly I have!" The young brunet had quickly started to sound and look distressed, startling the servant severely at how quickly this had escalated. "You won't look at me! You won't walk with me like you used to! You won't even speak to me unless I've asked you to do something!"

Riku just looked at him, keeping a straight face even though he knew that his apparent emotionless appearance was killing the other on the inside. "You haven't done anything."

"It's because I told you how I felt, isn't it?"

That effectively silenced Riku, who must've come up with a thousand reasons why they should never be together but couldn't vocalise a single one of them. He looked away, knowing that whatever answer he gave, there was a high chance that it would not be the one Sora wanted. To his silence, the small brunet could only look at him sadly.

"You know," he started slowly, looking down at the floor. "I…I could have ordered you to say how you feel. But that could mean that you'll say what I want to hear, not what you honestly think of me." He looked up at Riku. "I don't want that. I want you to like me on your own terms, even if we might never…feel the same way for each other…"

"…my prince…" Riku didn't know what to say to this, more amazed that Sora seemed to have had a small moment of maturity despite what his personality was like. "I'm sorry." He turned, thinking that maybe it would be best if he was out of the young prince's sight for now.

"Don't go."

"I highly doubt you want me to be within your view right about now."

"Don't." Sora grabbed his wrist a little too quickly, making the silver-haired youth yelp and flinch as he tried to pull away. Sora's face changed into one of puzzlement in a flash, testing the wrist again by squeezing it tightly.

"Let go!" Riku yelled, trying to escape. Too late. Sora had pulled the leathery knot that kept Riku's sleeve up and wrenched it up, his eyes growing wide like a bug's as he saw the purplish-grey fingerprints around the pale older boy's thin wrist.

"Someone hurt you!"

"It's nothing," Riku snapped, trying to pull back his wrist from Sora's almost inhuman grip.

"It is something!" There were worried tears welling up in the corners of the prince's angered eyes. "If someone's hurting you, you shouldn't protect them!"

"It's none of your business Sora!" Riku yelled, finally aggravated to the point that he forgot his status. The look of surprise on Sora's face spoke volumes to the servant; he spoke out of line. He hung his head low, averting his gaze down to the floor so that he didn't look into Sora's eyes, as if it would aggravate him like an angered lion. "I'm sorry…"

"You called me by my name," Sora whispered. He didn't sound the least bit angry. "And I didn't have to tell you to do that."

Riku just looked up, shocked that he wasn't being told off. He deserved to be yelled at, to be punished, for his mistake. He should have known by now though…

Sora wasn't the kind of person to do such a thing.

"Still doesn't change the fact that you have to tell me who did this to you." And true to form, Sora's obsessive nature returned as he grabbed Riku, mercifully by the arm and not the wrist.

"Will you just let it go!"

"Ri_ku_!"

Maybe he could entertain whatever fancy had taken over Sora's mind, if only for just a moment. Jerking his arm, he managed to pull Sora close to his body so that they were pressed together, looking at the smaller brunet with a hidden gaze. They were silent, stuck in a moment where time seemed to have stilled.

"Stop asking into it," Riku whispered softly, knowing that in this position the prince would be like putty in his hand. As expected, Sora nodded dumbly, in disbelief that they were so close to each other. "Good." Riku obliterated the moment quickly before it could descend any deeper by pushing the younger boy away, knowing that if they stayed in that position, he might not be able to stop Sora from taking what he wanted. The brunet understandably looked flushed. "You have to speak to your brother later on today. Please prepare yourself for that."

"W-Wait! Riku!"

Riku took the chance to escape, falling back against the door once he closed it behind him, bringing his injured wrist close to his face. "Sorry Sora…it's for the best that you don't know…"

And it was for the best that they didn't get closer. Riku was afraid of letting his feelings run deeper than he already allowed them to; and even more afraid of dragging the brunet into any consequence from his run-in with Loz, or any of his other brothers for that matter.

* * *

It had started out as gossip when one lone maid in Aurelias family household overheard Axel and Luxord talking about the contents of that letter the lord had received from Borealis. It had now become common knowledge that Axel and Larxene were finally going to exchange vows after many years of delays. And even though he has expected it to happen sooner or later, Roxas couldn't help but feel the pain and anguish that he stood to lose the closeness he had with Axel.

That was why he was sitting in Oblivion's stable, letting the young mare nuzzle through his soft golden locks. Being among the unassuming horses in the relative quietness of the wooden building had given him a sense of sanctuary, a place to go when he needed to be alone, away from his surrogate family.

Of course, even he knew it would be a matter of time until someone found him. "There you are!" He just wished that it wasn't Axel that discovered him. "I've been looking all over for you."

"Is it about your marriage to Larxene?"

"How did you…" The redhead slapped his forehead, leaning against the stable wall. "Don't tell me someone overheard me and Luxord talking."

"Then I won't."

A whispered curse filled the silence that fell between them. Roxas still wouldn't look up at him. "This wasn't…how I wanted you to find out."

"When do you plan on marrying her then?" He tried to hide his true feelings, but he heard the strain in his voice.

"They're pushing for the end of this month."

"Then just do it," Roxas grumbled, feeling his hands turn into tense fists. "You might as well save yourself the hassle."

"Will you be alright with that?"

"What does this have to do with me?!" Roxas snapped. "You already made your choice about this! Don't let me get in the way!"

Axel frowned, bending down and taking a hold of Roxas' chin, forcing the young boy to look at him. "This has everything to do with you."

"No it doesn't!" He slapped Axel's hand away, ignoring the shocked look unfurling across the other's face. "It doesn't involve me at all! If Larxene had it her way I wouldn't even be in the picture!"

"Roxas-"

"Don't even try to deny it! You know she would!"

"I know she would as well! But I _know_ this involves you!"

"Just how does this involve me?!" Roxas demanded, angered eyes glaring at Axel with the pain and despair that he felt. He didn't expect the answer Axel gave him.

In a split second Roxas found himself pushed down onto the straw, Axel hovering over him but his face was completely out of focus. He would screech, but his mouth was covered with a pair of thin lips pressed close to his. His mind was swimming as he tried to push him off, but he found that he was too weak compared to Axel and this sudden feeling washing over him.

He already knew that he had lost this fight. His whole body shuddered as his mind gave in, his hands shakily reaching around Axel's body to cling at the back of his tunic.

He pulled back, his emerald eyes staring down at him as their breaths mingled together, asking the young boy if he understood now why he was so important to him and why he was very much involved in this mess they were in.

"You…why…"

"Eat light tonight. We need to talk." Axel crawled away from him, standing up and brushing off the straw. Roxas sat up, looking up at him.

"Why do I need to eat light?"

"We're riding. We won't get any privacy here if we talk at the main house."

* * *

When he looked at Kairi's face, he knew that she had read the letter. He was in two minds of whether to get angry at her for looking through his correspondence or not, but before he could even speak, she asked, "Are you going to tell Roxas?"

"I've already told him about Larxene," Axel dismissed, opting to try and go past her, though he didn't know where to go. It was dinner time. Luxord would start his lectures meant to make him feel guilty for not coming.

"What about the _other_ thing?"

He paused, pursing his lips. He knew he should tell the young boy, but he found himself slow about doing it. And he knew why.

That kiss was more than enough answer to confirm that he was, indeed, in love with Roxas. He'd laugh dryly at himself for the inevitability of this, but Kairi would start demanding if he had gone mad. "I'll tell him soon enough."

"Axel, you can't delay this! It's important! If he doesn't here it from you, it's just going to _**crush**_ him!"

"What do I say Kairi?!" Axel yelled, glaring at her with all the stress, all the anguish, all the uncertainty that he felt about this. "'Oh Roxas, I have to leave you in Borealis because I got my marching orders from the king because he wants you to lead Hollow Bastion in future.' Do you honestly think he's going to accept that?!"

"It's better than not saying anything at all!!"

"But if I say that, _**that**_ is going to crush him!"

"You can't keep this from him," Kairi said firmly, folding her arms across her chest. "He's a prince again once you and that…witch marry."

"I know that," Axel grumbled, the weight of it having been on his mind the whole time he spoke, and then eventually kissed, Roxas.

Just like he had overheard Roxas the few days before this letter arrived, the blond in question had overheard this conversation. He didn't know what to think of this, he who had lived in such obscurity since that fateful summer when his future had changed. So he did the only thing he knew he could do, and do pretty well.

He ran. Out of the main house, out of the grounds, and away from the nearest village, into the cold and harsh wilds of the moors. If staying with Axel only meant he would be torn away sooner or later, Roxas would rather die than feel that pain.

Because now he realised -much like Axel had done after that first meeting of lips- that he was in love with someone he could never truly have to himself.

* * *

He didn't count on ever being caught in this sort of position, especially with someone he was serving. And yet, as he looked up into those clear pools of blue, blowing silver strands of hair out of his face with a perfectly straight but annoyed face, here he was, on his back, on the bed, with his master hovering over him on all fours. He sighed, getting himself comfortable on the bed that he had been pretty much pushed onto.

"Is this about my wrists again?" Riku asked, crossing his arms. He had to be thankful to Sora for not pinning him by said wrists.

"Who hurt you?" Sora countered, looking downright determined to find out now. Riku sighed.

"It's nothing. Now please get off me before one of the other servants comes in and sees this."

"No."

"My prince, please get off."

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"My prince…"

"No."

"Sora…"

"No."

"If I tell you, will you get off me?"

"Maybe."

"Sora…"

"Yes, alright. Now tell me."

"Just some thug from the town. Doubt I'll ever see him again."

"Really?" Sora then paused. "What were you doing in the town anyway?"

"Nothing for you to be concerned about. Now please get off."

"No."

"Sora!" He glared angrily at the younger boy, not even taking note the worried look he had gracing his face.

"Don't…go out on your own…please…" Sora whispered, still refusing to budge from his perch above Riku. His voice was soft and sincere, his hands gripping the fabric of the bedspread tightly on either side of Riku's head. "If…If something happened to you…I don't know what I'd do…"

The sentiment had come as a bit of a surprise to Riku, but one of Sora's utterances of affection that followed was not surprising at all. He sighed, shaking his head lightly. "Alright. Since you asked so nicely."

He gave out a surprised 'oomph' when Sora collapsed on top of him, arms somehow finding a way around his thin frame. Sora's chin nestled comfortably against the servant's shoulder, whispering quietly, "Thank you…" Awkwardly, Riku found his hand resting atop Sora's head of untameable brown hair, feeling friendly affection to him, but never having had experience showing it to anyone, not even to Cloud or Roxas who were arguably his closest friends after being his masters. He had grown up believing that showing affection, whether friendly or loving, would be unmanly.

"Hey, Riku…"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"…I know."

* * *

He was going to kill him. That was the only thought going through Axel's mind as he blindly galloped through the cold wilds, screaming out Roxas' name. It was dark; the boy couldn't have gotten that far, but then again he was very adept at running and hiding. Axel knew that from the first time they met in that forest near Hollow Bastion all those months ago. He pulled at Flame's reins as he reached the pinnacle of a hill, looking around in forlorn hope that the moonlight would reveal to him his squire's –no, Roxas was his young charge now– whereabouts.

Oh how he could have murdered each and every one of those servants in that longhouse right about now for not even realising that Roxas had gone completely from their midst, having been told by said boy that he would be spending the night at the main house. How he was going to butcher Roxas as soon as he got his hands on him for making him worry so much! He urged Flame on, the horse flying down the side of the slippery snowy hill into the dip of the dell below, ignoring the sting his face felt as the frozen winds hit him at full force.

* * *

Roxas didn't know how far he was away from Axel's farmlands, for some reason finding that he was heading towards the graveyard that they had visited only days ago. All he knew was that it was dark, cold and he severely was beginning to regret running away without a very warm cloak and a pair of gloves on. His hands had gone red and stung as if he had been attacked by a swarm of a thousand bees, and his face hurt so much that he found it difficult to move a muscle. He knew he had to press on, but he was becoming so numb that his body was tempted to curl up and rest. He knew if he did, it might be the last time that he'd ever fall asleep.

He wished he didn't leave…but he didn't think he was prepared to watch Axel walk out of his life for good once he finally did the unavoidable task that he had tried to delay for so long. And even more so, he wasn't ready to take on the task of being a prince again; he knew he would only be miserable.

He finally gave in, falling to his knees as he came across a rocky outcrop. Leaning against the tallest of them, he huddled tightly into his body, shivering heavily in a hopeless bid to keep warm. It couldn't hurt to rest just a little while. It wasn't snowing…it wouldn't hurt…at…all…

The first snowflakes of the night settled on top of the youth's golden array of spikes gently, barely disturbing the resting boy.

* * *

He didn't know what to do as it got darker and darker, and the snow began to fall even heavier. If he didn't find Roxas soon…he didn't want to think about that. He was going to find him; his own determination was not allowing him to give up.

That was when he saw it as Flame cantered up the tor; a small huddling figure against the white and grey rocks, slowly becoming covered by the harsh cold of winter's fury. He jumped off Flame and ran over, heart thumping as his mind prayed that it was Roxas, and that he hadn't froze to death.

Hyne must have been in a generous mood; Axel's prayers had been answered favourably. As he put his arms around the boy, he felt the blond tremble like a cold leaf, seeing that there seemed to be an icicle about to form from his frozen nose, his cheeks so red that they almost looked like roses. He brought the young boy close to him, rubbing his hands against his arms in a bid to try and warm him up, knowing that they couldn't stay here otherwise he was going to freeze as well, but the angry snow was whipping up into a frenzy. Effectively, they were trapped, especially if Flame was too tired to take the trip back.

Only one thing for it. They'd have to look for one of the shelters dotted about the moors that his Trabian workers had constructed for the harsh winter months while out tending to the flocks. Picking the boy up carefully as if he were just a delicate piece of glass, Axel strode back to his horse, just thankful that he had managed to find Roxas before it was too late.

* * *

The sound of fire crackling was what awakened Roxas from his frozen slumber, his eyes tiredly making out the shapes and shadows of where he was. An earthen ceiling, with long spindly roots hanging out from their hiding places; a wooden beam to keep the cavern from falling in; a shadowed back of a person dutifully feeding the fire with dry twigs and grass that had been kept in the shelter to protect it from the elements. Groggily, he managed to sit up, feeling the thick woollen cloak that had covered him fall away. He saw red hair.

"A…Axel…"

He turned, not a look of anger on his face like Roxas was expecting. He had definitely been worried…and scared. Axel had to crawl over to him as the ceiling was very low hanging, resting his whole body weight on one knee while the other was bent, almost touching his chest. He pushed the boy back down to the floor with one gentle yet firm push. "Rest," he whispered.

"You…came for me…"

"So glad you have such faith in me," Axel grumbled sarcastically, about to turn back to the fire.

"I…even though I ran away…"

"Just shut up." His voice sounded strained. Roxas felt guilty for doing what he did; he felt like he had did the worst act of betrayal between the two of them. "Just don't talk."

"…I'm sorry…" Axel turned back to him, looking at him with those emerald eyes that seemed so exhausted, so void of life. Roxas gulped, holding back the demons that seemed to eat away at him. "It's just that…having to watch you being with Larxene is hard enough but…knowing that I might not ever see you again once we get to Borealis-"

"Hang on a minute, how on earth do you know about that?!"

"I…I overheard you and Kairi talking."

Strangely enough, Axel chuckled dryly at that rather than get angry. "Honestly, can I never have a moment when I don't have to worry about being overheard by others?" He then looked at Roxas, who was still trembling from cold, but looked far guiltier about causing the other to worry than worried about himself. He sighed, shifting himself to lie down on the floor with Roxas, trying to get comfortable on the earthy floor. "So…what about you knowing that we might never see each other again?"

Roxas looked away, becoming shyer and shyer as he realised that he had been cornered by Axel with his questions. "When we get to Borealis…once you get married…you'll leave me behind…and…it hurts…"

"Hurts?"

"Yeah. It's more painful than losing my family…" Roxas looked at Axel, his cheeks feeling like they were on fire as he thought about it. "Does that make me a bad person?"

Axel just smiled at him, leaning over slightly so that their faces were only inches apart. "No. It doesn't." He felt their lips touch again; Roxas trembled lightly, but he felt reassured, even comforted by Axel's answer.

He guessed it really was only a matter of time until this happened. He just wished…that it didn't have to be as short-lived as this love for him seemed destined to be.


	44. Time

**A/N**: Hey all! Whoa, has it been long or what since we last had a chapter/chat??

It's been the usual story over here: writer's block (this time on the goddamn akuroku!!!), overflowing ideas in other areas, finishing off projects at my job (to which I have to resign from since I'm relocating -_sigh_- was such a good job too despite its boring-ness), getting prepared for university, writing up the "packing list" and then umpteen social dos that I found myself going to. Sheesh, and August/September was supposed to be the quietest time of the year for me.

Anyone seen/played Dissidia? It looks like such a good game! I mean, its basically playing chess with an element of smash bros./tekken/other beat-'em-up thrown into it! (Plus, I've lost patience with my only game on the PSP...I can't beat damn Sephiroth on CC!!! He keeps pushing me over the edge -_cry_-) Who's a choice character? My poison would have to be Squall: I like fast combos (and his inner monologue XD). Though, I might find a favourite in Terra. She's practically invincible with all those crazy Tornado attacks!

OK, getting back to the subject, this chapter is sort of...OK, it IS Akuroku orientated for the majority of the chapter, but everyone else (with exception to Edea/Tifa/Kairi/Namine/etc etc because I just couldn't work them into this chapter) is making some form of a cameo in here. Some more than others! The reason for the two heavily Axel and Roxas orientated chapters is because that I need to bring a close to their story arch before the next major event happening in the story. I'll get back to Cloud and Leon and concentrate on them till the end (which I'm seriously doubting is going to stop by chapter 50 now...)

People have asked me when I'm going to put more attention into Sora and Riku. My answer to this is: next story arch. Riku is gonna have a pretty major role in it. You shall not be disappointed (I hope!)

One last thing: thank you to everyone who has reviewed me so far! Even if it was only one worded, or an essay long review, it was very much appreciated. Such kind words -_cry_- I am not worthy.

Here's hoping for more wonderful reviews, and for no more writer's blocks (or life obstacles) to be dealt with!

Please read and enjoy! And review! For they are my homemade strawberry-and-cinnamon heart cakes! (and they actually are made by me this time!!)

* * *

**Time**. Reputed to be the best healer of all, some could even say they doubted its ability to truly heal the wounds that would scar forever. At least, this was what Roxas thought.

In the three weeks that had been spent together before now, they had gotten so much closer, though they had to hide their true feelings for each other for their own sakes. They never really kissed –the closest to that was Axel giving him a very sly peck one quiet snowy evening when no one was around. They didn't even embrace –except for when, again, they had a rare private moment.

In those dark times just waiting for that dreaded trip to the royal citadel, Roxas found some form of comfort in staying in the servants' longhouse, despite Luxord's subtle hints that he ought not to considering the swift change of his position. He didn't care anymore, and had often found himself clinging to Mary like a small child at night, though she would never ask why he needed her motherly hold and he in turn never explained.

And now here he was. In a room that was opulent and meant to give comfort, but Roxas just felt awkward. In clothes that were made out of the finest fabric the Empire could offer, but he found himself wishing back for those itchy tunics and work smocks. With a title that he didn't want (Prince of Hollow Bastion, though it wasn't made official just yet), with a less than desirable schedule (early morning wake up; breakfast on his own (unless requested to join with Prince Sora –which was often he found out); morning lessons with the crown prince; Cloud teaching him everything he knew about Hollow Bastion's old court; lunch (on his own sometimes); more lessons with the crown prince; athletics and sparring (Axel insisted apparently); one more lesson and/or leisure time; supper; bed) and possibly looking at a lonely miserable existence.

Fortunately, Axel had actually "given" Mary to Roxas as the head of Roxas' care. She was still the same as always. To her, she didn't care if Roxas had become the Sultan of Bhujerba or the Emperor of Hyne-Knows-Where; if Roxas stepped out of line, she was going to scold him (though away from the eyes of the gossiping tongues). Unfortunately, Roxas had also gained several other maids and servants dedicated to his service, and this truly made Roxas uncomfortable. Once or twice, he had to be told that he didn't have to take his dirty plates back to the kitchen after a meal.

"Why the Friday face, m'lord?" Mary asked as she bustled about, poking the fire to come back to life. "Thought ye'd be 'appy being a prince again."

"…it's nothing," Roxas sighed, looking out of the window, idly drawing patterns on the fogged glass of the window panes.

"Pfft, an' Ah'm the Queen o' the Ballykegs," she scoffed, coming over to stand behind him. "It's 'bout Sir Axel, ain't it?" He didn't answer. "Its fer the good of 'is own kin. Ye ken that."

"I know…" He understood that, and he knew that it would lessen the pressure Axel had been enduring for so many years. It didn't mean he liked it though.

"O but dinnae worry, mah lad," Mary said kindly, patting his head affectionately. "Ye'll still be as thick as thieves, mark mah words."

"Mary," Roxas started, "can you keep a secret?"

"Ooo a secret ye say." Roxas knew that if there was anything that excited Mary more, it was knowing a secret. She was, after all, one of the worst of the gossip mills while she was a part of Axel's household. "O'course Ah shall!"

"I'm in love with Axel." The silence that greeted him was shocked. He turned slightly, seeing that expected surprised look on her face. "I'm in love with him. So of course I'm going to be upset, because the person he's going to spend the rest of his life with is not going to be me." He closed his eyes, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. "Even so, I can't cry…because people will ask what is wrong and I don't want to tell them, because it could damage Axel."

"Sir Axel wouldn't care 'bout rumours!"

"He doesn't, but his reputation will be damaged…I can't do that to him." He smiled, feeling one solitary tear fall down his face. "So I'll let him go. If we can't be friends anymore, then I'll understand. But seeing him with Larxene…is just…too painful for me to live with for the rest of my life."

He felt arms go around his neck and shoulders, pulling him into a tight squeeze. In response, he put his own delicately defined hands over the lined, strong hands of the Trabian woman that he came to know as a maternal figure, gripping to them securely. Neither felt the need to let go. "Do you think of me as disgusting? I have committed a severe sin in Hyne's eyes."

"I dinnae give a crap 'bout wot Hyne thinks!" Mary exclaimed, her hold still fixed around him. "Ye're like a son ta me…so Ah won't ever abandon ye."

Roxas could only smile through his distressed tears. This was enough. Having at least one stalwart person in his life stubbornly refusing to leave his side was more than enough for him.

* * *

Cloud was troubled. He could tell by the way the svelte blond was curling his body up so that his knees touched his chin that something was on his mind. Carefully, he slid his arms around him, letting his chin rest against the blond's pale shoulder.

"What is it now?" Leon sighed, clearly sounding grouchy. They found out that being bedridden for three weeks and a half made the brunet very much like an irate bear that just came out of hibernation; he was, after all, the type that found it hard to sit still for long periods of time.

"It's Roxas," Cloud whispered, looking straight at the decorated fireplace aimlessly…or straight through it. "He hasn't been himself…"

"He's probably finding it hard to get used to all the change he's been put through," Leon muttered, pawing lightly at Cloud's flesh. This was the hint to the blond that he wanted to sleep. Now. Cloud wasn't paying much heed to it.

"Riku told me that he very rarely eats, and he's not paying attention in lessons, and he seems miserable all the time. I wonder if he's pining…maybe this change was too soon…maybe-"

"Cloud, he's sulking about Axel getting married." His voice was clipped, annoyed, tired and downright brash. "Now can we please get to sleep?"

"Firstly, by all means go to sleep. I'm not stopping you. Secondly, what do you mean he's sulking?"

"You haven't noticed?"

"What was I supposed to notice?"

"Hmm…" Leon pulled him down with him, refusing to let go despite Cloud's attempts to escape. "I'll let you find out for yourself."

"Leon!"

"Hnn…" Cloud could see that there was no use for interrogation; the king had fallen fast asleep, both arms imprisoning the blond in a hold that was inescapable. He sighed quietly, trying to get himself comfortable in their position. He would have to question the meaning of Leon's words in the morning…or maybe a bit later. The brunet was by no means a morning person.

* * *

Needless to say, Axel was having a miserable time trying to 'bond' with his fiancée. True that he made great pains to not fan any fires with whatever sarcastic remark he could come up with, letting Larxene get all cosy with him when he really he just wanted to be any place away from her.

Particularly any place away from her, with Roxas. And of course, in one small moment of carelessness, Larxene had gone into a jealous rage when Axel wondered aloud on how the young blond was doing. This had ended up in the two having a spat over what Axel was allowed and not allowed to do, which ended up with the red-haired knight storming off towards Leon's study.

Because, at the end of the day, it was _**his**_ fault for pulling back his hidden support for Axel's cause. Or at least, that was how he saw it. He stopped at the door when he heard Zexion's voice, raised nearly an octave higher than his usual dry tone.

"You can't keep all these delays up! What will happen if the worst should happen with all these battles you attend to?! What then?!"

"We do have Sora," was Leon's stoic response, sounding like he was becoming very weary of whatever the petit advisor was harrying him for.

"The prince might be getting stronger but that doesn't mean you should rest on your laurels!"

"I'm not. I'm not interested in those…_**things**_."

Axel immediately assumed that those 'things' meant Leon's numerous marriage offers. He couldn't help but smirk, leaning against the door to listen. An opportunity to hear his old friend suffering was just too tempting to pass.

"Those _**things**_ are what Radiant Garden's future depends on!" Zexion argued hotly.

"And it's also my ball and chain. I've already had to force Axel into one now just to appease all those wolves and snakes in the court." Axel was surprised by this sentiment; Leon never openly discussed his own opinions of the people within his own court. Not even with those they considered him to be closest to ('they' being Axel and Zexion). "If possible, I'd rather avoid chaining more people to those burdens…"

"Leon, you know that's just part of an idealistic realm." Zexion rarely referred to the king as Leon; when he did, it was often on the most serious notes. "If we were peasants, then there would be no issue. There's no gain or loss from spending your life with whomever you choose. But we aren't. Or at least, you aren't."

"What would you do then Zexion?"

"Me?" Zexion's tone of voice had changed into surprise at how the tables had suddenly been turned on him.

"If you were in my position –you knew that at some point you had to take up one of these godforsaken proposals, even though you started to care for another so deeply– what would you do?"

There was a pregnant pause between the two, and even Axel, who had every intention of bursting in full fury, had stopped to mull over what the king had said.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Zexion finally answered. "I'd do the right thing!"

"What _is_ the 'right thing'?"

"Taking up one of the marriage proposals. It ensures Radiant Garden's future."

"Wish I had the strength or the selflessness to do that."

Axel did too. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately –who honestly knew–, he wasn't selfless, and he didn't know he had the strength to really let go of Roxas. And he guessed it was much the same for Leon too. Lucky girl -or concubine as it most likely had turned out.

"Leon, its not about strength, or being selfless," Zexion stated, his voice having calmed down to its normal monotonous murmur. "It's about doing your duty." Silence. "I _**know**_ you Leon. You wouldn't dare let anything stand in the way of you doing what you thought was your duty to everyone." There was the sound of feet walking away, towards the door. Axel pressed himself against the wall, hoping that he wouldn't be noticed by whoever was coming out. "I'm sorry Leon. But this is the way it has to be. Even I can't help you out of this."

Zexion came out at this point, closing the door behind him and leaning against it heavily, closing his eyes. "So how long were you out here for then?" he asked quietly, not even looking to Axel.

"Long enough to hear what's going on." Axel pursed his lips. "That bad?"

"That bad. And Leon's too thick-headed to realise that the consequences of delaying and not giving an emphatic 'no' or 'yes' could be disastrous for everyone."

"Hmm…"

It was a long time before either of them moved away from their places against the wall, both still very lost in thought over what had happened. It had been Zexion that had first asked the question, as tactfully as possible, "So…what of you and the lady Larxene?"

"Guess I've got no choice." Axel moved away, somehow content in the knowledge that he wasn't the only one in the sort of mess he found himself in. "I have to marry her."

"I heard she's jealous of Prince Roxas." Axel nearly winced at the sound of Roxas' reclaimed title. It didn't sound like the boy he knew at all, but some other stranger he had yet to meet.

"She is…and I can't really blame her," he sighed, rubbing his forehead lightly with one hand.

"So what will you do?"

"That…I haven't figured out just yet."

* * *

He didn't know why he was out here in the bitter cold, waiting for the other to arrive. He didn't even know why Axel had, after days of having no contact with him, decided that he wanted to see him –_in secret_– now, when his own wedding was only four days away. He shivered, bringing the animal fur around him tightly (the animal in question had, apparently, been a large fox, but Roxas knew that foxes never grew to the size of a fifteen-year-old boy). The small dagger-like letter opener that he had taken to carrying around with him ever since his knives and daggers were confiscated clinked lightly in its small sheath, as if to remind the blond that it was there if he needed it; the blond didn't like being unarmed, not since what happened in the summer with the war, being kidnapped, dealing with Yazoo and almost getting killed in Dalmasca.

But it also there because the blond had, quite perversely, had been entertaining a small fantasy in his head that he heard from overhearing the tragic stories told amongst the servants. About ladies who would rather kill their lovers then see them marry another; about men who would rather die than see their beloved in another's arms; about star-crossed lovers from warring families committing suicide together so that they needn't be separated ever again. Such fantasies made Roxas think of the possibilities, but he didn't know if he had the willpower to do it.

Even so, he hoped to Hyne Almighty that maybe Axel would spare him from having to watch the most painful torture of all. He fiddled lightly with the letter-opener, still thinking of the fantasy. He even looked over the castle wall on which he was standing on.

It was a long way down. The fall could kill a man if he were unlucky.

"So you did come."

He turned; Axel was standing there, though he only wore a thin cloak over his tunic and trousers. He claimed that the cold never bothered him. Roxas thought it was some sort of habit he had picked up in his days as a squire. He pursed his lips before finally whispering, "Here I am…"

Axel's footfalls crunched in the thin crusty snow that coated the stone walk. He felt a soft touch of leather gloves on his cold cheek; it felt warm. So warm.

"So…" Roxas started, averting his eyes down to the floor. Axel was wearing his worn down leather riding boots. He had heard servants despairing of the redhead because he refused to wear whatever was fashionable in court these days (in this case, it was the curled pointed shoes). At least, in this retrospect, the Church adored him since they saw such fashions as the sign of evil. "What is it that you want from me?" He prayed that whatever he said, intentionally hurtful or intentionally comforting, Axel would make it as brief and as painless as possible.

Axel didn't speak, just grabbing Roxas by the wrist and started pulling him along, ignoring the surprised squeak that left the young boy's lips.

"Where are you taking me?!" he demanded.

"If you yell, you'll only attract unwanted attention."

"Wh-what?!" That only alarmed the young boy, realising they were heading for one of the castle walls tower keeps.

Axel pulled him inside, his hold on Roxas' wrist still tight, almost to a point that the blond feared that the redhead was meaning to break it. They stood there in silence for a long while, neither of them daring to move or speak as they took in what had just happened and their own surroundings.

"What…do you want from me?" Roxas asked. No sooner had he asked those words had he wished he could take them back and swallow them. Those thoughts were only short-lived though.

He was suddenly pressed against the stone-cold wall, Axel's body completely shielding him from being seen from anyone who could (theoretically) pass by and from the chill wind that had managed to find its way though the cracks of the old wooden doors. His eyes were staring in silent disbelief into Axel's pools of emerald green, suddenly feeling his heart beat race and knock at his ribs like a war drum.

"I wanted to see you," Axel breathed, leaning close to him, to the point that their bodies were almost brushing against each other. "So much."

"Why now?" Roxas asked. "Why not earlier? Why didn't you see me at all when we came here in the first place?!"

"Don't think I didn't try to talk to you! I had to deal with Larxene first!"

"Oh yes, the bitch," Roxas growled scathingly. "Of _**course**_ you have to deal with her first since she's _**far**_ more important."

He flinched when Axel's hand slammed against the wall, just mere millimetres from smashing Roxas' face. Axel's face looked murderous. "I didn't come here for an argument Roxas, so stop this childishness." If Roxas wasn't so scared of incurring Axel's wrath, he would've snapped that he was a child in the eyes of society. He still frowned though, clearly unhappy. Axel took a huge calming deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment before moving his hand away. "Sorry…I just…don't need another argument…definitely not one with you…"

"But I was told that you and Larxene…"

"That we get along like a house on fire? Well, it is true…in its more destructive sense." Axel sighed, looking away slightly. "Behind closed doors, we honestly can't stand each other anymore. It's becoming clear to me that she's only doing this because she has to, not because she wants to anymore."

Roxas looked at him in astonishment. "But she always acted so sweet around you."

"Let's just say we both showed our ugly sides to her. She's a jealous, manipulative witch and I'm a disgusting sodomite," Axel stated sarcastically, looking back at him. "And she blames you for it of course."

"Me? Why me? I've done…" He stopped himself from finishing; to say that he hadn't done anything would be lying. He fell in love with Axel. His own sulking about Axel's upcoming marriage would be a hint enough for the most astute person to realise the truth of the matter.

"Mmhm," Axel nodded his head. "You're the one that 'seduced' me in her eyes. The fact that you're a status above her now is the only thing keeping her from speaking out of line in public." His head leant forward, letting it rest against Roxas' forehead. The small blond didn't reject the motion. "I think the one to blame is me though. I'm the one that started this whole masquerade."

"…do you regret this?" Roxas asked quietly, keeping his eyes on Axel's face in order to watch his reaction.

"No," Axel responded immediately, firmly, turning his green eyes back to Roxas' cherubic face. "Never have, never will." He leaned in slightly more, their faces so close to each other that they could taste each other's breath. Roxas' heart skipped while his stomach flip-flopped and his skin burned as red as the red rose. "How about you? You regret anything?"

"…I do regret…that I never realised my feelings for you earlier…" Roxas admitted, "But I don't regret being with you, or falling in love with you." He flushed when he realised he had so openly admitted to that. Axel's mouth had uncurled into a satisfied smile.

"That's good." His hands slowly made their way around Roxas' waist. "That's good enough."

"No it isn't…" Roxas whispered. Axel looked at him, perplexed. "It isn't good enough. Because even though we care for each other more than we really should, we can't be open about it, or even be together…" He looked down, letting his head fall into Axel's chest. "I don't want to live a life where I can't be with the person I care about the most."

"I thought you said you loved me?" Axel questioned.

"I-I do…"

"Then say it. Not this caring crap."

Roxas was silent. Axel's hands tightened their grip but didn't move from where they were. The blond found that his hands had crawled up Axel's chest, staying there for now. He felt a nervous flush overcome him, but he knew that Axel wouldn't let go until he said it. "I…I love…you…"

Axel's hands slid down until they were comfortably on the small blond's buttocks, giving them a very light squeeze. "That's better." Roxas squeaked a bit when Axel gave him another, but firmer, squeeze on the rump. "Much better." Roxas looked up at him, about to plead with him to stop groping him but he was cut off by Axel's lips locking themselves firmly against Roxas', pulling the boy closer to him. The blond couldn't hold back the small satisfied mewl that Axel managed to elicit out from his throat.

For a moment, it all seemed surreal. Roxas found that his own rationality had no hold over his body which was relying on instinct alone. His hands found their way to rake through Axel's impressive red hair, while his back arched as he felt the leathery touch of Axel's gloved hands press against the flesh of the small of his back. As he pulled back for breath, their hot pants voiced their wantonness for the other as their hips pressed close together, their bodies rubbing against each other heavily. In one heady moan, Axel had taken advantage of Roxas' open mouth and plundered it with his tongue, letting the wet muscle explore every crevice, every nook and every cranny that was there on offer to him. Roxas felt himself go weak in the knees.

Slowly, Axel had to pull away again, though a lingering hint of reluctance was evident. Their breaths were heavily laboured; he knew that if they continued, he'd lose all control of himself. "I think…you should go…"

"Why…?"

"Because I can only imagine the ways I'm going to ruin you if you stay here."

"And if I want to be ruined…?"

Their eyes met again, silently conversing with each other over the possibilities. Axel knew the consequences could be heavy if they went ahead, but the moment of sheer bliss was too much to pass on. It could be their only chance. Then there was the fact that Roxas was only fifteen, a child. He was pretty much damned already for preferring men over women; he'd be damned to an even deeper pit in Hell for taking away Roxas' innocence.

"Sod it," Axel grumbled, giving into temptation. He ravaged Roxas' lips once more, his hand sliding up under the boy's tunic and clawing possessively at his soft pale skin. In response, Roxas groaned, tugging at the back of Axel's cloak in a bid to pull it off. The need for him, the utter drive to get rid of anything that got in the way, was exhilaratingly desperate.

He felt his own furry cloak fall from his shoulders, sprawling effortlessly against the stone wall. Axel seemed to have noticed, because he turned them around and pulled the small blond down with him to the floor so that Roxas was now sitting on top of his lap, giving his weak knees a break from standing up. They parted once more, hot giddy breaths mingling together in a wondrous sonata. Roxas looked at Axel weakly, shivering as he felt Axel's hand kneaded the tense muscles of his back. He barely managed to see Axel pull one of his gloves off with his teeth, revealing bony pale fingers to him.

"Are you sure about this?" Axel asked again, his voice just a low husky whisper. Roxas could only feebly nod his head, whimpering a little bit when he felt Axel's gloved hand slide down the skin of his back. Axel leaned in and kissed his soft boyhood jaw line, breathing in his scent while his bare hand slid down the boy's body and crawl underneath the fabric of his trousers, cupping bare flesh gently. Roxas gasped a bit in surprise, this being an entirely new sensation to him –and an entirely new position he found himself in as well.

He squealed when he felt Axel's fingers travel down along the crevice between his buttocks. "A-Axel…"

"Too much?"

Even though Roxas felt nervous, he wasn't willing to let this stop; he shook his head. Axel gave the corner of his jaw line a nip before making his way down the boy's neck, one hand pulling down Roxas' trousers while the other pressed at a place that made the blond squirm with unease and excitement. Not to mention, something between his loins twitched sharply at the touch.

"Just relax," Axel whispered, his voice calming the blond of his nerves. "Take a deep breath."

Roxas nearly cried out in pain when he felt the first finger delve in, clinging to he fabric of Axel's tunic in a deathlike grip. Axel just held him close, slowly letting the finger move in and out in order to get the blond accustomed to the sensation. Then the second went in, shortly followed by the third. Roxas felt his eyes water. Axel stopped suddenly. The blond looked up at him pleadingly. Axel just put a finger to his lips, signalling him to be quiet.

He understood why. Axel must have heard the chinking of armour coming towards them. Inwardly, the blond youth panicked, not sure how on earth they were going to explain themselves if they were caught in this position, or even what Axel would do to make sure that the guards didn't speak of what they saw. Most of all, he knew that he would instantly be framed as some seducer from the former enemy side.

The noises faded away. Roxas sighed in relief…but he did admit that the thought of being caught had an effect on his manhood. Axel had noticed this with a smile of amusement. "My, my, Roxas. Never took you to be somewhat of an exhibitionist."

"I- I'm not!" Any further protests were broken off by a well-timed press into his now twitching entrance. Axel chuckled when Roxas let out a rather long surprised moan of appreciation; he had found the sensitive spot. Though he knew that this was as far as he would go: Roxas was a child. He wasn't ready for this just yet. Instinctively, he took a hold of the hard and hot excitements that were twitching between their bodies, pressing more at the spot in between swift and careful strokes. Roxas jerked in his hold, a short, sharp spasm coursing through his system.

He continued his ministrations, watching Roxas writhe under his gaze, having one ear trained to the passionate sounds the youthful blond was making and the other listening out for any unwanted guests. In only a moment's notice did this plan fall through; Roxas had learnt quickly what his former master was doing to him, copying him completely, though his grip was a tad harder than Axel's due to his own inexperience. Axel didn't grunt out of discomfort though; rather, it was encouraging him to continue until they both reached the dénouement of their ardent embrace.

Roxas had been the first to let go with a loud cry, his youth and inexperience in this activity of love being the main cause for his inability to hold back for long enough. He collapsed against Axel's body, feeling something drip and stick between his thighs while he panted harshly, one hand still teasing Axel's manhood. The redhead had just smiled a bit into the blond's neck, holding him closer and letting him continue his work until he too released, though he was far more quiet and subtle than his young charge had been.

For a long while, they just sat in silence together, taking in each other's presence. They knew that what they did would probably be their last adoring encounter, so they savoured it in the hope that maybe they would look back at this moment in idle affection. Roxas just clung to him helplessly, knowing that as soon as he let go, Axel would walk out of his life forever.

Reluctantly, before the church bells of the citadel rang for midnight, they did let go and, with silent heartfelt goodbyes, they parted ways.

* * *

Leon was brooding again in his study, glaring out at the landscape that he had so often looked fondly upon.

Axel married. And although he had given his blessing, and Axel had been behaving himself the entire day (even though he detected some hints of despair from the redhead's straight face), he still felt like that there had been a heavy air hanging about. He knew why; Roxas had kept silent the entire time and was always avoiding Axel and his new wife as if they were the plague. Not even Sora could make the reinstated prince cheer up.

It had been Cloud who had come up with a solution. The blond had finally figured out what the cause to the shadow that hung around his brother, and like any good older sibling he was determined to make his younger brother smile again.

"It will take a week for it to get here from Hollow Bastion," Leon stated, having thought long and hard about Cloud's suggestion. He turned to face the blond: he was dressed in an outfit befitting of anyone of noble birth, though his clothes held no pattern or embroidery to mark him out from the rest of the household that had been clothed in the Leonhart colours. Concubines could not stand out from the rest, nor mingle with the nobility. It was fortunate that the blond had come to accept that now, even though Cloud still had some influence over him (of which he also providentially didn't know anything about). "And possibly a week longer for the event to take place."

"I know that," Cloud snapped, looking at him impatiently. "But can you do this ceremony or not?"

"I can. And Roxas knows what to do, right?"

"He's watched that ceremony all throughout his childhood at Hollow Bastion. He'll understand when he sees it."

"You have a lot of trust that this won't botch-up."

"I have to put my trust in this. This could be the only way Roxas gets his happiness." He walked over to the window that Leon was standing at, looking out to the unchanged landscape. "I want at least one person in my family to be happy." He felt a hand go on his shoulder; Leon's. Cloud didn't reject it, barely smiling at the awkwardly comforting squeeze it gave.

Making Roxas joyful again was enough.

* * *

"What is going _**on**_?!" Roxas whined as he felt himself go through a whirlwind of clothes, courtesy of menservants and maids alike. Riku was watching over, having been shooed off by Kiros from where Sora was getting similar treatment. The silver-haired servant shrugged, looking about as clueless as Roxas was himself.

"Beats me, I've no idea. All I know is that its important."

"If its Lady Larxene declaring that she's pregnant, I'm not interested," Roxas growled. His pet hate for her had still not subsided.

"The king won't be best pleased though," Riku sighed, "which might mean that Cloud will get the brunt of it."

Roxas pouted childishly, clearly displeased but cooperating. He didn't want his older brother to be on the receiving end of another's frustration –but then again, Roxas didn't doubt Cloud had been on the receiving end several times before.

That was when Sora burst in. "You're still not ready Roxas?! We gotta get going!"

"My prince, it's 'we have to get going'," Riku corrected in a bored drone. "And he's coming." Riku forcibly dragged the blond out of the crowd that had surrounded him. "Let's not keep everyone waiting."

The boys made a mad dash away from Roxas' chambers, leaving behind the gaggle of servants that were still fussing over the young blond as if he were a small doll. As they arrived closer to the castle's great hall, Roxas noticed that there was a very distinct change in decoration. House Leonhart's colours were hanging in pompous pageantry but alongside them were the almost long-forgotten colours of his own family, a proud silver eagle once more flying in a fabric sky of Prussian blue. The young restored prince could barely believe his eyes, having to rub them roughly to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

Seeing the insignias of both households draped together side-by-side was an image he never thought he would see in his entire lifetime. And instead of feeling wrong like he ought to have believed, it felt as if it should be so like this, that eagle and lion should not be fighting each other but be at peace instead.

Sora grabbed his wrist and continued to drag Roxas up to wear the king was standing, almost pushing Roxas forward while the older brunet was speaking to all the court that stood before him. The blond vainly searched for the familiar face of Axel. He wasn't anywhere to be seen, though his wife –he shuddered when he thought of it– was amongst a group of women, looking highly smug. Sora nudged him lightly at this point.

"Don't glare Roxas. People will talk."

"So?" Roxas hissed, his blue eyes seething under the guise of disinterest. He then nearly gasped in surprise when he saw a familiar sight.

The slender steel blade that was embellished with swirling bronze and gold designs with a similarly styled hilt had been in the Strife family for years as a ceremonial sword only worn and wielded by the kings of Hollow Bastion, thus earning it the title of 'The Sword of Kings'. Roxas had believed it to have been plundered and most likely melted down for the precious metals it was made from. To see it here made him believe he was reliving the past somehow. Sora pushed Roxas forward a bit towards Leon, smiling brightly as he nodded to the back. Roxas looked; Cloud was watching from the back, a small satisfied smile on his face, subtly encouraging the younger to take the sword that was being offered to him. This sword was the ultimate sign that Hollow Bastion was back in the Strife's hands. In front of him, almost acting like a protective shield from prying eyes, was Zexion, looking as stern-faced as always.

"By taking this blade," Leon started, looking straight at the young blond with piercing storm-coloured eyes, "you swear your loyalty to Radiant Garden, the court and to your people under the title of the Prince of Hollow Bastion. In times of need, you must be a pillar of strength to all those that serve under you, and perform your duties to the fullest extent of your abilities."

Although the words were different, the oath was still much the same. He nodded his head before saying calmly, quietly, "Yes. I swear it." Almost hesitantly, he took a hold of the hilt, watching Leon release his hold on the underside of the hilt. He brought it close to him, faintly wondering if this was really all just a dream that he would wake up from.

"Is there any man here, lord, duke, or knight that pledges his loyalty to Prince Roxas?" Leon suddenly questioned, looking out into the crowd expectantly. Though what he was expecting, Roxas wasn't quite sure. He looked around again, but didn't see who he wanted to see.

He guessed Axel wasn't going to turn up.

"I do."

There seemed to be a small shock coursing throughout the court, but not as much shock that the young prince was feeling when he saw Axel step out of the crowd, looking very serious and determined. He finally understood why he hadn't been able to see him; Axel had only just removed his cloak's hood. Though the reason why he had been hiding in the crowd eluded the young blond.

Roxas just watched as Axel finally came to stand in front of him, their eyes meeting for just a moment, though Roxas could tell that behind the stoic face Axel was really smiling like a lunatic; it was written in those emerald eyes that Roxas usually had such trouble reading. Now, they were clear and open to him.

"Excellent," Leon nodded, hiding a faint smile by bowing his head slightly. The quip from the king was all Roxas needed to shake himself out of his trance. He took a deep breath, moving the sword's tip down to the floor.

"Sir Axel of Aurelias," Roxas began, remembering those words that long ago his father, and even his elder half-brothers, had spoken to countless men who were willing to risk their lives for them. "Kneel and bring your lips to the sword, and swear your oath of loyalty to me." He didn't know where this calmness had come from after the wave of nerves had come crashing down on him only moments before. Some part of him believed it was because Axel was here, and the first one to swear his allegiance to him.

It was here he wondered what Axel would say as he saw the red-haired knight go down on one knee, watching him in wonderment as long fingers gently lifted the tip slightly. His voice was quietly confidently, seeping in a strength that Roxas had heard a few times in their happier days as just a knight and his squire. "I live by my loyalty to my lord, and to forsake all else, I offer my sword, my shield, my body, and my life…" He kissed the tip gently to seal his promise. "So do I vow."

It was here Roxas realised the real truth to this ceremony, and why Cloud was truly grinning for the first time in months. By this, Axel was forever bound to him, and neither could escape from the other.

And this, he found, made him feel an unbridled joy that he had never felt before in his life.


	45. Letters

**A/N:** Record timing! Yeehaw!

Alright, I'm trying something new here. This chapter is really more for filling in the gap between the end of winter to the end of spring, so I decided to do this chapter in the style of letters (hence its name). Like it, hate it? Well, prepare for a history lesson of the HUS world (and those who are anxiously waiting for the not-sequel to this can probably guess what the year might be in that story).

My thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed the last chapter! I'm glad the ending was well-received for Axel and Roxas' story arch : )

Please read and enjoy! And review, for they are my chocolate fondant!

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Letters

_**

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**_

The following letters are dated in the year 1065 of the Terran Age. The correspondence are between Prince Roxas of a newly restored principality of Hollow Bastion, and Sir Axel of Aurelias, a former trusted knight of the Radiant Garden Empire that had been .

_Dear Axel,_

_I hope you are doing well. It feels so long since we last spoke to each other. _

_Yes, I know it's only been shy of two months, but it feels long._

_It's been odd being home after being away from it for so long. I don't even have my old bedroom anymore; that's become a guest room now, along with all my late-brothers' chambers. I almost half-expect to see one of them coming towards when walking through those old halls, or even my late-father._

_Its even stranger when you realise you're the last 'living' member of your family, and that you survived them all. I never thought of it before really, not until I came back to Hollow Bastion. I wonder if eventually these feelings will fade away._

_Lexaeus has taken to guarding me himself at nearly all hours of the day. I'm sure you've heard about the somewhat cold reception I received on the way here. Old rebels that still believe that anyone who didn't commit suicide after defeat should be killed. I'm starting to get used to the notion that my being alive is never going to delight many people that I now rule over. Don't worry though; Lexaeus assures me that he has everything under control._

_Even though I think it he can be suffocating with his protection, at least I feel safe._

_I'd feel safer if you were here though._

_I miss you._

_How is everyone? Is it true that Kairi might be accepting a marriage proposal? Is it true that your wife is pregnant? _

_Mary sends her love to everyone back in Aurelias. I send my regards._

_Your faithful friend,_

_Roxas_

Dear Roxas,

I understand what you mean when you say it's been long. Take comfort in the fact that it won't be too long till we meet again.

Please don't tell me not to worry though; I will regardless despite your own reassurances. I trust that those that did try to take your life have paid the price for it? I know that I would have acted as judge, jury and executioner if a single hair on you was damaged. On that note, you didn't come to any serious harm, did you?

It is true that Larxene is indeed pregnant. She's been proclaiming it to the rafters at every social gathering she's dragged me too. I'm not sure whether to be pleased or worried.

As for Kairi, the rumours are on the verge of becoming true. Ever since she's turned sixteen she's become –and it hurts me to say this about my own sister– 'quite the catch'. Larxene has already taken it upon herself to try and marry her off. Fortunately for Kairi, I've taken it upon myself to be the brother-in-law from Hell to put off would-be suitors.

If she has to marry, I would rather she married someone she felt like she could live with, whether be it as a lover or as a best friend. It would kill me to see her so unhappy.

Everyone misses you here in Aurelias. Especially me and Kairi. No…especially me.

You have no idea how much I just want to be with you instead of here.

Kairi wanted to send you a pendant that she thought you would like. I think it's a bit odd but I'm not one to judge.

Stay close to Lexaeus. I trust that giant with my life. And I trust him with yours.

Your loyal servant,

Axel

**

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**

The following letters are all addressed to King Squall I of the Radiant Garden Empire in the year 1065:

_Your Majesty,_

_Please forgive me, but I must speak my mind._

_You have always known that I've had the gift of foresight. I have warned you of and predicted the events that were meant to take your life._

_This is no different._

_Please have no more to do with the concubine Cloud. I finally realised that all that has happened within the past year has been caused by his presence in your kingdom. He attracts the attention of your enemies, and of malevolent spirits that wish to cause you harm._

_If you do not, a great tragedy will befall upon you and the concubine. Your very lives are in danger._

_Please, I beg of you, not as your former regent but as your nurse and mothering figure, to rid yourself of the concubine. You don't have to kill him. Just send him away! Please!_

_Yours,_

_Edea_

Sir,

It comes to my attention that the situation in Archades is reaching new heights. The Emperor's sudden illness has destabilised their system, and the Senate and the Judge Magisters have become divided.

Most worrying is the name that appears to show up at every corner of this small catastrophe. Jenova.

Were they not the family that has been a thorn in your side since last summer?

Marquis Halim Ondore IV of Bhujerba

_Squall,_

_Yes, I know that I've used the name you would rather not be known by, but this is serious._

_The situation within Archades is worrying us. No, its distressing Aerith because she's worrying about you! You know I hate to see her upset!_

_How about this: until you know what exactly is going on, why don't you come and visit Midgar? We just finished building Gongaga Fortress. It's a safe haven for any person wanting to just get away from the world. Aerith is planning on taking Angeal there for the spring, just so that she's out of the public eye. You can come then. She'll be glad of the company._

_I wait for your reply._

_Zack_

_N.B. Yes, we did eventually decide to name the baby after my old mentor. I owe Aerith's life to his sacrifice._

My dearest friend and ally,

The Archadian situation is getting worse. Although it gives me great joy to see it suffering, I can't help but feel uncertainty. Dalmasca will be in middle of it all over again unless the Archadians decide to attack Hollow Bastion.

And that is looking very likely, now that those Jenovas are becoming more and more powerful in Archades.

With deepest concern and fondest wishes,

Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca

**

* * *

**

The following letters are written in ancient Bhujerban Sanskrit, dated to the year 1065. The correspondents are one Zexion of Borealis, Chief Advisor to King Squall I of Radiant Garden, and the Bhujerban bard, Demyx, a favourite among all the courts in the Terran Age. Interesting to note is that they use pigeons to exchange messages rather than the conventional messengers used during times of peace.

_My soul's idol,_

_Lindblum has had kind weather gracing its lands this spring, though the flowers have not yet blossomed. I think this is good; it means we can see them bloom together._

_Though, I have a feeling this isn't going to happen at all. I keep hearing of bad news in Archadia. Please tell me that you and your king aren't planning to go to war. Just tell me that._

_I love you._

_Demyx._

Dear Spoony Bard,

For goodness sakes, get a hold of yourself! Enough of this drivel of flowering nonsense. You know I don't care much for flowers. Just listening to you play and sing is enough.

And, I am afraid to report, the possibility of war is very high. Our alliance with Dalmasca demands us to fight for them if they are under threat, and if Hollow Bastion is under attack we must battle with full force.

Yes, I know you do.

Zexion

_My adored Zexion,_

_I don't often do this, but I begging you to not go. What if you die? What will happen then? What will happen to me?! Do you forsake me to wander the world alone?_

_I love you. And I know you do to, so say it._

_Demyx_

You infuriating preening peacock,

You ask too much from me. If I die, it will be because I was trying to protect the family that took me in when I was homeless, hungry and penniless. As for you, you're doing a fine job wandering the world alone already.

Don't push your luck, idiot.

Zexion

_My tantalizing siren,_

_Surely asking your lover to be careful is not much at all to ask? And that was a low blow using your childhood against me like that! That's cheating!_

_And I also find it unfair how you used my lifestyle against me too!_

_Either way, I still love you!_

_Demyx_

To the greatest fool I have ever come across,

It wasn't cheating. That was gently reminding you that I have an eternal unpaid debt to my king's family. And if you don't want to wander the world alone, then please stay in Radiant Garden next time. Then we won't be apart.

But I already know you'll argue for your reasons why you will continue the way you run your life regardless.

I find it amazing you still do love me.

Zexion

**N.B. It is assumed this conversation continued until the Battle of Hollow Bastion was declared. However, all evidence has either been lost or destroyed (possibly the latter).**

**

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**

The following are letters exchanged between Axel of Aurelias and King Squall I of the Radiant Garden Empire, referred to here as "Leon".

_Leon,_

_I know that I was told not to make my journey to Hollow Bastion until summer, but what I've been hearing from Prince Roxas has made me uneasy. I feel that my presence there will help him and Lexaeus rather than hinder them. I'm asking for you to allow me to travel there. My reasons are not only because of the domestic disturbance within Hollow Bastion; Archades is worrying me too._

_What do you think we're going to do about Archades should the worst happen? _

_Your loyal friend,_

_Axel_

Axel,

I understand your concerns. I give you my consent to travel to Hollow Bastion. I am right to assume that you wish to make your journey without the company of your beauteous wife, correct?

With regards to Archades, I haven't thought of a plan just yet, despite being pushed to sort out a vanguard to protect Hollow Bastion from any possible attacks. I want to avoid any unnecessary conflict if possible.

Your faithful friend,

Leon

**

* * *

**

The following are addressed to Zexion of Borealis, Chief Advisor of King Squall I of the Radiant Garden Empire. The sender is unknown.

_My lord,_

_The current situation within Archades is now this:_

_Lord Vayne, third son of House Solidor, has taken control of a majority of the Archadian Empire. His support includes the Jenova family and key members of the Judge Magisters. Lord Larsa has been placed under household protection –this is effectively putting him under house arrest for the crime of advocating peace with the rest of the world._

_Lord Vayne's power is growing at an alarming rate. Emperor Gramis is still confined to his bed, though he still participates with the running of his empire._

_Your humble servant_

My lord,

Judge Drace has been executed for the crime of high treason. She raised her sword against Lord Vayne in a bid to free Lord Larsa and Archades from Vayne's rule.

It was Lord Larsa's most trusted Judge, Judge Gabranth that administered the killing blow.

Your humble servant

_My lord,_

_Emperor Gramis is dead. It is believed that he had been poisoned by a member of the Senate. As a result, all the members of the Senate have been arrested and will most likely be put to death. The Senate is also officially disbanded._

_Sephiroth of House Jenova has been made the commander of the Archadian army. His brothers have been given positions within the Empire's military. Vayne is now Emperor._

_Your humble servant_

My lord,

I have been discovered but may this last letter arrive to you with no interference. They plan to attack Hollow Bastion by the end of this spring.

Also of great importance is the circumstances with Lord Larsa: he and Judge Gabranth have escaped Archades. Their location is unknown.

Your humble servant


	46. Anticipation

**A/N:** HELLO MY LUBBLIES! I'm speaking to you in my new 'bachelorette pad' (in reality, a bedroom in a huge college building) situated far from the madhouse that is my home (and good timing too. Certain relatives had come to visit by the time I left heh heh).

We've come a long way since HUS' beginnings (over a year ago now, when I was still in secondary school) and I still have to pinch myself whenever I see the stats page. The fact that this has become even MORE POPULAR than M.A. now has only made me pinch myself harder (and I'm still surprised that M.A. is getting so many hits, reviews and favourites even though I put it on the backburner for good). The big surprise is that I'm so determined to finish this story before turning my attention onto my next project (or projects as it were since I put up the start of a small ficlet called _On the Way to a Smile_ just recently). This might also involve a venture into the Dissidia Category here on fanfiction dot net if I feel brave enough. But I think this would only be small oneshots really (I'm afraid that I found my perfect OT3 in Squall, Bartz and Zidane, but I wish Squall and Cloud interacted with each other a bit more (I've only seen one scene in which they are together, but they're only talking to Tidus, not each other)).

To my readers, I thank you so far for reading (and sticking with me since chapter 1 and my tendencies to go overboard with description). I hope you'll like this chapter (and I'm making this a two parter. You should guess what comes next ;) ). Please read and enjoy and review! For reviews are my Ben and Jerries! (especially Cookie Dough. Mmmmmmm.....cookie dough....)

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**Anticipation**. It was the feeling in his mind as he looked out of the window overlooking the extended bailey with impatience, waiting to see some sign of that royal lion making its way in. He watched the people moving to and fro like ants in a colony from his high perch, with eagle-eyes trying to catch some glimpse of familiarity.

People were leaving. With news of Archades' plan of attack of Hollow Bastion, the common folk had forgotten their staunch views of what he should have done and united to vacate their citadel to Radiant Garden. He was asked to leave himself; he refused. This land was his, even if it was given to him by Radiant Garden. He was going to safeguard it with his life.

He felt a hand pat his shoulder lightly. "Anxious?" Axel asked.

"A little," Roxas responded, his fingers drumming against the window pane. "I mean, I haven't heard about anything about Cloud for months." He pursed his lips, looking out in worry. "What if…"

"Worry more about your principality," Axel sighed, ruffling the smaller blond's hair affectionately. Although he never did it in front of the ever watchful eyes of Hollow Bastion's court, in small private moments Axel still treated Roxas with the same affection and care that he showed when they were master and squire. "Your brother will be fine. Besides, it's more likely that the king will leave him behind."

"I know but-" He was silenced by a small peck to his lips, erupting into a rosy blush. He had forgotten that Axel's affections had become more than just that for a former squire.

"Don't fret," Axel assured. "You'll get wrinkles faster." The sound of trumpets interrupted their conversation, Roxas leaning so far out of the window that Axel had to grab the young prince by the ruff of his collar to make sure he didn't fall through.

"They're here!"

* * *

Lexaeus' eyes fell onto the army of soldiers, knights and warlords coming into the bailey, his stony face completely still as he looked for his liege. The king soon came forward, a taller and stronger looking Prince Sora on one side, Zexion on his other, while another figure, completely cloaked in dark colours so that even his face was hidden following behind. A flash of silver hair was what made him reach for the hilt of his large sword, but he relaxed when he realised that it was not their enemy.

"Lexaeus," Leon greeted. The giant bowed respectfully, smiling slightly when Prince Sora waved cheerfully to him.

That boy had no idea what he had let himself in for. And judging by the look on the king's face, he wasn't so sure giving in to his younger brother's wishes to travel was such a good idea either.

"So where's our young prince?" Zexion asked, looking surprised that Roxas wasn't here to formally greet them.

"Knowing the prince, he's probably been waiting impatiently at the best view point," Lexaeus reported.

"Which is?"

"Top of the keep. That tower." He pointed over to the only recently remodelled lookout that had been neglected by the previous king of Hollow Bastion in his elderly years. For a large part, Hollow Bastion was still being completely redone. They were still trying to make the boroughs within the citadel liveable, not to mention trying to re-establish the House Strife rule. For Archades to think of attacking couldn't have come at a worse time. "Please come in. The prince will come in his own-"

"Your highness!"

"Or he'll come now," Lexaeus sighed, sidestepping just in time for Roxas to come skidding to a halt right next to him, panting heavily.

"So-sorry I'm late," he wheezed, recomposing himself quickly and bowing to his new liege. "Welcome to Hollow Bastion."

To his astonishment, and to Lexaeus' and Axel's who had only just appeared, Leon in turn bowed to him. "Thank you for your generosity during this troubling time."

Roxas smiled, though internally knowing that he really did have little choice considering that putting his main line of defence outside the safety of Hollow Bastion's walls would be a stupid plan. But he was grateful that the king was being gracious…though he wanted to ask him where his brother was.

Before he could ask, he felt something grab his arm suddenly. "Show me around," Sora grinned, though it appeared that he was actually guiding the blond around with a newfound strength that no one had thought possible only a year ago. Riku silently trotted at their heels, having not once let his guard down even though he was in familiar surroundings.

"The young prince is very active," Lexaeus blinked, surprised at the sudden change in the sixteen-year-old.

"It is a good thing," Zexion stated, watching the youngsters run off into the deeper parts of the keep. "I'm glad we did decide to train the crown prince." He then looked over to Leon; the brunet seemed to be smiling genuinely for the first time in months, despite its subtleness. The dark stranger that had largely been ignored stood beside him, watching after the three boys silently, almost longingly.

Zexion caught a small brush of fingers between the figure and the king. He was glad that they didn't make it too obvious what their relationship was like in front of all the people present in the bailey.

* * *

Leon couldn't help but notice the hooded figure in his room was very tense, pacing from wall to wall as if looking for traps or openings for would-be murderers to come through. He came over to him, putting a hand on the black clothed shoulder. It made the young man jump.

"Cloud, you can calm down now," Leon said kindly. "No one's going to come in here without knocking."

Cloud removed his hood, revealing that from the nose down he was covered by a black scarf. He removed it slowly, his blue eyes still looking downcast. "I've never been in here before…"

"Really?" Leon seemed surprised at this. "This was your home though. Surely you must have seen all the rooms before."

"Not this one," Cloud whispered. "This was my father's room." He looked away; Leon noticed that he seemed to be shivering. He knew that wasn't because of the cold. "I was never allowed to come here, not even when he was unwell. So I always wondered what it looked like…"

Leon looked around. Knowing Lexaeus, he probably made all the guest bedrooms look as plain as each other, no matter what room they might have been, or who they belonged to. If Cloud was disappointed, he think he could appreciate the reason why. He decided it was best for his concubine not to dwell on such things.

"So what does it feel like?"

"What does what feel like?"

"Coming home," Leon elaborated, looking at him. "It's been so long since you've been back."

"The homecoming could have been better," Cloud dryly commented, going over to the window and looking out to the town within the home he had once lived in. "But Lexaeus...he's changed it."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"As much as I would like to say otherwise...no...it isn't."

"Why's that?"

"Even though the people are still angry at you and everything you stand for, their lives have become so much better...far better than I could have imagined."

"How so?"

"You saw for yourself," Cloud snapped, becoming irritable once more. Leon just patted his back, a sense of playful affection behind the still somewhat awkward movement. This was normal for them; they were still very awkward around each other since those days when they realised that hatred or dislike no longer played a part in their relationship. It was still...hard for them to come to terms to such a change in emotions towards each other.

"Do you think you'll reveal yourself to Roxas?"

"I don't want to," Cloud whispered, wrapping his arms tightly around his body as if to protect himself. "If he knows, it won't be long until the whole of Hollow Bastion knows that I'm here, and that I'm alive." Leon's hand didn't leave the blond's back. He seemed to accept the gesture.

"You're scared," Leon said quietly, looking at him with those storm-coloured eyes that appeared so much more kinder than they had done when they first met.

"...yes," Cloud answered. He was scared. He was terrified. He knew that in only a matter of days Hollow Bastion would once again be gripped by War's hand in a death grip. He was scared that he wouldn't be able to protect the people that mattered the most to him. He was scared...of dying. He felt Leon's hand slide down to wrap around his waist. Again, he made no move to reject it.

"Me too." Leon's fears were more deep seated. He wasn't afraid of dying; he would gladly sacrifice himself to save everyone. It was his fears of being unable to fight for his people, to protect his brother who had begged come with him (to this, he reluctantly conceded to), and more worryingly, it was Edea's words that had haunted him.

The possibility of Cloud betraying them in some form was still one to consider, but the brunet prayed that this would not be the case at all.

He looked surprised when he felt Cloud's hand tentatively rest against his own, as if fearful that it would bite. Leon didn't move his hand away. The small spark that they felt between the flesh was another feeling that they had found themselves having to awkwardly adjust to.

"Do you remember when we first met?" Cloud asked quietly.

"How could I forget," Leon replied. "We hated each other so much, even though we knew nothing of each other at all."

"I was determined to kill you."

"I was determined to take you as hostage."

"And you succeeded."

"With some difficulty."

"I kept asking myself why you kept me alive, wondering what use I was to you when I found out that you would use Roxas as a hostage instead."

"Search me," Leon whispered. He felt his hand tighten its hold slightly. "I couldn't bring myself to do it, even though everyone kept nagging me to get rid of you."

"But you could kill my brothers and lie about them," Cloud crossly grumbled. He still hadn't forgiven the brunet for what he had done.

"I apologised for that, didn't I?" Leon sighed.

"So what if you did."

They were silent after that, but their minds were running through all the memories they had of each other. They had seen all their good and bad qualities, had found that they saved each other from death, and even, from a small point, had grown to become fond of each other despite their vows to hate each other. Now...they both knew that their oaths to forever be at odds with the other's family were broken, and that something new had developed between them. Something new...and very dangerous indeed.

"We can't keep this up," Cloud whispered, pulling away from Leon.

"What do you mean?"

"This! Us! We shouldn't....we shouldn't even be acting like this! We should still hate each other!"

"Do you still hate me?" Leon asked. At this Cloud went mute, slamming his fist against the stone wall, looking frustrated with himself. Damn him. Damn Leon for being so calm about this. Damn him for acting like he didn't care. Damn himself for being so scared of these feelings that had suddenly appeared.

"I don't. And it scares me so much." He nearly jumped out of his skin when Leon came from behind, embracing him tightly in a hold that refused to ever release the blond from his prison.

"Are you afraid of me, or just of these emotions?" Leon whispered into his ear. A small shiver escaped the blond.

"Let me go," he murmured, not wanting to be held like this. He knew that he no longer had any resistance to the other's advances.

"No," Leon answered, holding him more tightly. "I won't."

He knew if this continued, it wouldn't be long until he surrendered. He couldn't do that; he couldn't bow down to Leon at this point.

The smack that echoed in the silent room was almost deafening. Leon's face had turned to the side, an angry red mark forming on the cheek that Cloud had just hit. The blond grabbed his scarf and quickly hid his face, pulling the hood over and left the room. He needed to walk away.

Leon made no move to stop him, closing his eyes as he ignored the stinging sensation that blossomed.

* * *

"You're going out again, aren't you?"

Riku looked over to the brunet, unable to help but smile reassuringly to the younger boy. "You know that I'm just making sure all of the possible entrances are secure. I know this place better than most."

"But why hide yourself? People might think you mean to betray us."

"My prince," Riku sighed, putting a hand on to the boy's tousled brown hair. "You needn't worry. My loyalties are to you, like they always will be."

"That doesn't comfort me," the boy whispered, huddling his body tightly. "I don't like it when you do this."

"I promise that after this war is finished, so too will my night watch."

"You absolutely have to vow on that. On our rings." Sora outstretched his hand, revealing that the ring that was identical to Riku's was resting proudly on his ring finger. The silver-haired servant knew that he had already lost to Sora. He sighed, taking out his ring from behind the fabric on his tunic and unfastening the chain it rested on, taking the ring off and putting it on his own finger before taking the young prince's hand.

"I promise it." But he noticed that Sora was still very unhappy. "What will it take to assure you everything will be fine?"

"Kiss me?"

Riku pursed his lips. This was again a normal thing between them: Sora always demanded (well, he would ask politely usually) for one and Riku either conceded to the request (this wasn't often) or just laugh and ruffle his hair (this was often). In this case, the silver-haired boy realised that he wasn't going to be able to dismiss the request.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, he placed one small peck on Sora's forehead. The younger clung to Riku's tunic, as if to stop him from going and force him to continue. The elder easily managed to pull away, seeing that Sora's dejected face still hadn't disappeared. "Don't give me that look Sora," he whispered quietly.

"Stay with me then."

"You know that I can't."

"Yes you can," Sora pouted childishly. Riku just weakly smiled and moved away, pulling up the hood of his dark cloak.

"Goodnight Sora." He left, ignoring the young prince's protesting call. So soon he disappeared into the keep's darkness.

* * *

Exploring all the places that were so familiar to him as a child, Cloud walked with only candlelight to guide the way. He had seen where his old room had been (now a guest room for Zexion), where his brothers and their wives had once lived, where the old private quarters of Hollow Bastion's royal family had once homed a divided family. Most importantly, he saw the places he, Roxas and Riku had once played together, and he was heading to the last place that was hidden deep within the keep's catacombs.

Walking past the doors into the tombs of his ancestors, he head straight to the back room where legend had it that it was there where the first ruler of Hollow Bastion had a vision from the gods to create a kingdom around that very spot. And it was here that he and his friends had spent many a day.

The sacred pool. A place of glowing water that never ran out. Some said that it was a divine gift, offering Hollow Bastion the stability and endurance to last for months on end if under siege. As long as they had this unlimited supply of water, Hollow Bastion (in theory) would never fall. However, this wasn't the case, as Radiant Garden's attack on Hollow Bastion proved. You could forgive Cloud for doubting the suspicion surrounding the pool.

He sat at the edge, slowly kicking his boots off and letting his feet slide into the cold water. When he was young he would come here to swim. It seemed strange to feel this sharp wet coldness now.

"How long has it been?" Cloud whispered to himself, not expecting the silent stones to answer him. And yet, the soft glow of the water's surface was inviting him to come, to indulge in one small pleasure it could provide for him.

Cloud knew he had a weak spot for this. Standing up, he began to undress, confident that he had not been followed to this place. One dip...one moment in old familiarity. It couldn't hurt. It wouldn't hurt.

His dark clothing lay in a pile on the side. He took the first careful step. It was cold. Like ice. But he liked it this way. He took one more step, letting his body get used to the chill before wading into the deeper parts of the pool and letting his body float in the water.

He thought of Leon. Although it pained him to even think of it, he knew that it would probably be best if he apologised to the brunet for hitting him. After all, they shared the same bed, and he wasn't up for sleeping on the floor. The trick was how to go about it without sounding pathetic.

He never realised that he had been followed by said brunet.

* * *

Although their relationship was a secret, and that they did everything they could to hide it from the world, Roxas still found it amazing that no one had ever barged in on them when they did meet in his room. They tried to meet at least once every week, though they knew that it wasn't always possible to do it. When they did, they usually just ended up finding themselves embracing each other than making love. And maybe that was for the best. Even though he had only turned sixteen a few weeks ago, and thus could be married to any girl he found himself engaged to, Axel was still hesitant to fully do the deed since Roxas was still, in essence, a child.

It was on this night that they were just laying together in each other's hold, though Axel's fingers were idly playing with Roxas' as he held his hand high above them.

"I've been thinking," Axel whispered.

"About your unborn child?" Roxas asked. It hurt knowing that that _**banshee**_ of a woman was carrying the next generation of Axel's family, and probably would bear more in years to come. Axel nodded his head faintly, curling his fingers around Roxas' tightly.

"Do you think I'd be a good father?"

They exchanged glances. Roxas could see the evident worry in Axel's eyes; he really was concerned. "Why are you worrying?"

"There's the chance that I might turn out like my own father. Being way too self-absorbed to even care about my own family. I don't want to be like that...but the way that I'll go into any fight in your name or even in Leon's name...it bothers me, that I might be just as bad as my own had been."

He gave an unmanly yelp when he felt Roxas' fist connect his shoulder. "Don't be such an idiot. You'll be a great father. Besides, you fight for me and the king because we mean so much to you. The king's your childhood friend and I'm...I'm..."

"The lover?"

"Yeah. So of course you'll want to protect us both. And when the baby's born, you'll want to do anything for it as well. I'm sure of it!" Roxas then smiled. "Besides, I'm sure that the baby's going to have you wrapped around its little finger. You always did have a soft spot for children."

"I do not," Axel retorted, puffing his cheeks out in protest.

"You do. Don't deny the fact that back at Aurelias the children adore you."

They fell silent. Axel brought their hands back down to them, but still held it tightly in stubborn refusal to release it. Roxas didn't really want to be let go anyway.

"I'm scared," Roxas whispered.

"Of the upcoming battle?"

"Yes. I mean, I know that there's a chance that I won't be part of any group that goes outside of Hollow Bastion's walls but..." he trailed off, looking at Axel with a saddened look.

"You're scared that I might be killed."

He nodded. Axel only smiled, leaning over and kissing his forehead with the gentleness that he only reserved for him. "How many times do I have to tell you that I seem incapable of dying?"

"What if this time your miracle healing doesn't work? What if this time you really can't be saved?"

"Roxas," Axel whispered, pressing his lips over the younger's to silence him. It was a silent promise that he would he live. And to the young prince, it meant the world to him as tears rolled down his cheeks.

He was terrified of losing Axel. But he trusted the redhead enough to know that somehow, someway, he would survive this and many other trials that would come.

* * *

Riku sat down on one of the battlements of Hollow Bastion's walls, surveying the landscape for anything out of the ordinary. His silver-hair glowed in the moonlight, giving him the unearthly appearance that all the Jenova's possessed. The fact that he was wearing the clothing of a servant in the service of the king's household was the only thing stopping the guards and soldiers from challenging him.

He thought of his brothers. It was true that he had tried to sever his ties to them and be known as a Jenova no more –he had even changed his family name from Jenova to the much more humble name of Hart (a small memento of his gratitude to Sora's family) – but the fact remained: they were still his family, and he couldn't replace them.

They weren't all bad at one time. Sephiroth was just like any other person. A great man with a promising future. He was never as cruel as he was now. It was when the old king of Hollow Bastion began to grow more frail and ill, and Sephiroth's powers in court began to grow, that the elder Jenova brother began to get delusions of grandeur. Kadaj had always been a disturbed person, but would follow Sephiroth and their mother to the ends of the earth. Yazoo was someone who appeared to have his own agenda, but he was the type to avoid all out fights if he could, hence making him the perfect spy for Sephiroth's uses. And Loz had always been the gentle giant, always taking care of Riku since the youngest Jenova had been seen as the weakest of the five. So when the old king got older, and their mother passed away, his elder brothers began to change.

He shuddered at the memories of being beaten if he did something wrong. He grimaced at the thought of those nights when Sephiroth or any of his other brothers decided to take out their frustrations on him. Being with the two young princes of Hollow Bastion had been his only escape from the torture he began to receive daily. And now Sora...had finally given him the courage to turn his back on a past he would rather forget.

"But can I fully turn my back on my own family," he wondered, letting his feet dangle over the edge. He knew he wouldn't fall though the natural urge to jump or fall was great. He closed his eyes, before opening them again and looking to the moon that had watched over him with its gentle, motherly glow. "I wish...this didn't have to be so hard."

* * *

He started when he heard a pebble splashed into the water, hiding his body under the surface as he glared at whoever dared to disturb him. It changed to surprise when he saw Leon sitting on a nearby rock.

"How...?"

"I followed you," Leon shrugged, leaning back slightly. "I was worried about you."

"Why?"

"Well, considering you've never hit me for no good reason before, am I right to assume that I our earlier conversation is what's worrying you?"

Cloud didn't answer, opting to just turn his back to him. He almost looked over his shoulder when he heard the sound of fabric being pulled off a body. This was then followed by the sound of someone diving into the water, which resulted in him getting wet. "Hey! Don't-!" But Leon wasn't there. He looked around wildly, unable to see where the brunet had gone. He felt something grab him by the waist. "Ahhh!"

With a mighty whoosh, Leon had resurfaced, holding onto Cloud tightly to stop him from leaving. The warmth radiating off his body seeped into Cloud's back. "Just so you know," Leon smirked into his ear, "I'm not letting you go until you start giving me straight answers."

"I don't have to give you anything!" Cloud yelled, struggling to get out. Leon was keeping to his word though as his grip became tighter.

"You never answered my question before? Are you afraid of me? Or of something else?"

"I'm not scared of anything," Cloud growled, finally giving up his struggles to escape with a flounce.

"And yet you hit me."

"A man doesn't discuss about his emotions. You don't. So why should I be any different?"

"Because I know that you're more likely to talk about your own feelings than I am," Leon began. If he could hold him any tighter, Cloud felt that the scarred brunet would. "Admitting that we're both scared is one step in the right direction though."

"...it's the waiting that terrifies me," Cloud admitted, guessing that the only way to make Leon let go of him was to tell the truth. "I just want it over and done with. I don't want to think about it anymore." He looked down at the water, seeing his reflection in the mirror-like surface. "I don't want to think about fighting. I don't want to think about the chances of dying. I don't want to think about what you will do." He hit the water with an angry slap, frustrated with himself that he was being so open in order to make the elder leave him alone. "No more. I don't want to wait any more."

He nearly jumped when Leon's chin rested against his shoulder. "Then don't think about it," he whispered. "It may take a while for the enemy to arrive so it might be hard not to think about the chances of dying or seeing someone you care about die..." He buried his face into Cloud's neck, as if searching for some form of solace in the soft smooth skin. "But you don't have to wait for me. If you want me to do something, you just say the word and I'll do it."

Cloud could see that this amount of power that Leon had handed over to him on a silver platter was an opportunity not to miss; this was the chance for his hunger for vengeance to be satisfied. A year ago, he might have immediately demanded Leon to kill himself right on the spot, or take the chance to tie him up and stop the brunet from protecting himself from getting killed.

Instead though, Cloud found himself whispering, "Don't leave me..." Leon's grip had loosened, giving Cloud the chance to turn if he wished to. The blond did so. He hated this. He hated how he was acting like some love struck fool. And yet, he knew that he couldn't live without Leon.

"I hate you," Cloud whimpered, though there was no venom but helpless moaning in his voice. "I hate you so much."

"I know," Leon whispered, holding him close with a gentleness that was still alien to them both. One hand slid under Cloud's chin, lifting it up slightly so that they were looking face to face. The storm within his eyes had quelled, just like the fire within Cloud's vivid blue eyes had been doused.

One kiss that had all the care and attention that they never had once showed each other had been what caused the floodgates of their emotions to come crashing out with the force of a tidal wave. For the first time in what seemed like years, Cloud's eyes released crystal clear tears that rolled down his soaked cheeks. But they were always wiped away and hidden by the well-timed strokes of Leon's warm thumb, as if to say that Cloud showing so much emotion was their secret, and theirs alone. It comforted him. It honestly did.

They released each other's lips, the need to breathe becoming far too great for them both to continue for much longer.

"Leon..." Cloud no longer cared if he sounded like some wanton damsel now.

"Squall," Leon said.

"What...?" The confusion on the blond's face spoke volumes, until it finally clicked in his head that 'Leon' was just a name the brunet preferred to use.

"That's my name," Leon smiled. And Cloud's surprise further widened when he realised that this was the first genuine smile he had ever seen on the brunet's face. "Say it."

In that moment, Cloud understood. Leon had accepted that he may never gain the respect from Cloud 'the Concubine' that anyone lower down society should show to their king, but he knew that he could gain the respect of Cloud the human bring. To allow the blond to call him by his real name was the biggest show of respect the brunet could offer.

And Cloud smiled too. An honest one that wasn't marred by a smirk or by sarcasm like any of his to Leon were like. "Squall."

Their lips met again. And he knew that their yearlong battles of will had finally come to a conclusion. Neither had won, neither had lost, and this was -somehow- enough for him.

Being with Leon in a small moment of peace and quiet was more than enough.


	47. Passion

**A/N:** Dear Readers, I have had a bit of a shock. You see, I am a person who is used to seeing that her Word Documents are in at least hitting the 60KB mark when it comes to HUS. So you can imagine my shock that, in the latest version of Microsoft Word offered by Microsoft Inc (or whatever they call themselves), a ten page document (which is pretty short for me as of late but oh well) is only about 32KB. No, to be exact, it's only 31.6KB. Honestly, I kept thinking that I had lost my work only to discover that this was not the case at all much to one's relief. And thusly, Dear Readers, I have come to wish back for the old version of Word. Ah, if only. But I guess on the plus side it means that I don't have to worry about upload limits anymore which is a wonderful feeling! (ah, the good old days when documents could only be 60KB long maximum in order for them to show up on FF dot net).

In other news, I have a small announcement to make to all British Readers: I am planning on going to the MCM Expo.

Yes, you have read this correctly. This, hopefully, marks the first of many cons that I'll be going to (though limited funds and busy schedules might hamper this). For anyone in Europe, I'm also plotting a trip to Chibicon with a good friend of mine in Holland next summer. For both (but most certainly for Chibicon), its still a bit in the air. I'm not even sure if I'm going to cosplay or not for the Expo (read: the only cosplay I've got is LARGELY unfinished, and the others are still in the planning stages), but if I don't, I think you'll somehow know which person I am. -has a very strong feeling about that-

Another note before we get one with the show is how a lot of people seemed to...be accepting that there is a possibility of one or two character deaths (I'm not saying who!) It makes me happy that you guys are supportive. Honestly, I thought I was gonna get hate mail the first time I hinted at it. Another thing is that there is a feeling that I'm being harsh with Larxene. I'm not; I think she's a totally BADASS character that should have been used more (I mean, come on!!! All the Org members from Chain of Memories SHOULD have been used more!!!). It's just that for the sake of this story I need to make her as unsympathetic a character as possible; besides, even when reading the KH manga I didn't feel the slightest bit of sympathy for her when she...died from electrocution -shocked face-. I wish I could have used her more, but alas my muse had other ideas. I can safely assure you though, Larxene fans, she's safe from my deadliest weapon: the pen. She's gonna be a mom. I can't kill new mommies. Not even if its for the plot (which might be a bit hypocritical for me considering Raine and Cloud and Roxas' mom were dead before the story even began).

Anyhoo! Please read and enjoy! And review! For they are my...-ponders-...um, wow, I've run out of sweet treats to say. Um....Frijj milkshake drinks?? Anyone heard of those?

Oh yeah, massive shout out to the crazy people that I met through the animesoc of any of you guys are reading this! This little 'titbit' of yaoi goodness is for you ;)

* * *

**Passion**. In a word, it seemed like the perfect description for two people who might never care for each other but feel an undeniable lust instead. It also could describe the feelings shared between two people who did care for each other very much, and showed that they did on a regular basis.

For them, it wasn't like either of those things. Sure they didn't really care, but it didn't mean that were so heartless that they just ignored each other's presence. What they felt might have been lust at one point (or at least, from Leon's view point) but what they had now wasn't love –at least, they would never admit to it being love, especially not to each other.

Their bodies, however, had an entirely different outlook on the situation. Pressed together in a delicious, sodden heat that contrasted greatly with the coldness of the pool, Cloud was finding it impossible to resist Leon's advances. The slow, steady caresses from the elder's hand down his back made the blond almost melt into the brunet's body, breaking away from their heady kiss when he felt something go into his entrance.

"Don't do that!" he yelped feeling his buttocks clench around the foreign object. This only earned a deep chuckle into his ear from Leon.

"Tell me why?" Leon asked. "You've had bigger things than a finger in you."

"Y-You could at least- Ah!" It was at that point that Leon had expertly pressed against a raw nerve within his body, eliciting that almost euphoric cry out of the lithely built blond. Another chuckle, followed by a small nuzzle to the blond's neck. That only further sent Cloud into dissolute bliss. His hand raked through Leon's hair, tugging it roughly as if in a bid to pull the scarred man away from his neck. It was unsuccessful. And he let out another surprised groan.

Leon had got the second finger in him. Cloud managed to utter, "Bastard..." in between surprised gasps.

"You like it really," Leon teased, running his other hand down the blond's side while the younger man clung to his body as if he would fall into an abyss. And Cloud was loath to admit this ever out loud, but he did. One more finger delved in; Cloud's nails dug into Leon's skin, nearly drawing out blood. Much to Cloud's pleasure, this in itself elicited a growl from the brunet.

When their eyes met, they could only smirk at each other. Any feeling of care had been wiped out now, replaced by an overwhelming desire instead which suited to them more.

Being caring and doting lovers never really suited them anyway.

Still fondling the insides of Cloud's near-soft entrance, Leon had guided them near the edge of the pool so that they could sit down, bringing the blond onto his muscled lap while he himself sat on the stone floor. A little further away, their clothes and the Griever pendant lay, the silvery eye of the lion head the only witness to their near senseless passion. Neither cared. All that mattered was the other.

"Think you can handle this?" Leon asked, a small tone of challenge in his voice as if to coax, or more likely taunt, the blond into doing what he wanted.

Cloud, of course, responded with a breathy, "Better than you ever could." Willingly, he lifted his hips up to hover over Leon's growing excitement, tantalizingly close enough to tease the older brunet. Leon's fingers fell away from the sopping wet bud, looking at the blond with an unreadable expression. This soon changed it a small quirk of a smile when his hands rested on top of Cloud's hips, pressing him down slowly. The blond grimaced, but made no sound of pleasure as he held his lips together tightly. This was his challenge for Leon; to see if he could make the other scream when the feelings between them had reached fever pitch. He was finally filled up to the hilt, and for a while they just stayed like that, staring at each other as if they were strangers, unsure of what to think or say.

It had been Leon who had rolled his hips, the tip tickling the small ball of nerves hidden deep inside the blond; this made Cloud shudder, biting down on his lip to curtail a pleasured moan. In retaliation though, Cloud forced himself up and then down slowly but surely to torture the brunet. This resulted in a husky draw of breath from the other, though his nails clawed into the firm flesh of Cloud's hips. The blond's hands had found themselves wrapping around Leon's back, clawing and scratching that in return as if in a bid to leave scars as a reminder that they had done this and that they had been together.

It was a bit like two animals mating, or two creatures fighting for dominance. They hissed and bit and scratched and tried to hurt one another, but at the same time there was a softness and gentleness that had been absent in all their previous encounters. For every bite, there was a kiss. For every scratch, there was a caress. For every hiss, there was a gasp of delight. For them both, the excitement only seemed to treble with these mixed messages that they were giving each other.

In the course of their fornicating, they had changed their positions so that Cloud's hands were resting on the stone floor while the rest of his body was submerged in the water, Leon having one hand over one of Cloud's while he hovered over the blond, the other stroking Cloud's length under the water while he continued to drive the blond into the floor. Neither said a word; they weren't needed. Instead, only the harsh breaths and pants coming from the pair's lips were their means of communicating, in a primeval language that only animalistic instinct could understand.

With one loud feral howl of glee, Cloud released into the water, his body's muscles tightening around the other in a bid to squeeze out Leon's seed. Only moments later did the brunet release too, filling the other with thick and hot juices. All the while they clung to each other's hands, with tight grips but gentler intentions. Leon's forehead rested against the nape of Cloud's neck, the hand that had been touching the blond's nether regions now wrapping around his waist. Cloud just slumped against the floor and Leon, feeling his insides twitch slightly around the brunet's length that was still inside him.

"...I can't believe we did that," Cloud whispered quietly.

"Hmm..."

"This was basically us performing sacrilege."

"No one's here to tell us its wrong."

"Are you so without fear then?"

"Not entirely," Leon admitted, pulling the blond closer. "If anything, I'm more afraid of losing you."

Cloud turned to look over his shoulder, his face a picture of shock and confusion. Why was the brunet so freely admitting to something as big as that revelation?! "Why?"

"Edea had a vision," he whispered, his eyes still transfixed onto Cloud's skin, his hold becoming tighter. "Unless I let you go, something terrible would happen."

"Then...you should release me." Cloud was by no means superstitious, but even he wasn't willing to take chances.

"I won't." Leon forcibly yanked Cloud away at that, turning him around so that they were looking face to face, barely registering the look of pain that crossed Cloud's face. "I've lived my entire life doing what was expected of me or what I thought was best for everyone else. For once I don't want to listen to what others say and do and desire what I want." Leon's head buried itself into Cloud's chest. "And that's you. If I can't fight to keep you safe, then what was the point of even keeping you by my side."

Cloud made no move to reciprocate Leon's confession, still too confused by what the brunet was saying and his own feelings of the matter. Why on earth was this infuriating king of such barbaric people so determined to protect _him_, a disgraced captured prince-turned-concubine?! And why were his hands moving to embrace him as if they were meant to comfort the brunet? Why were they not being what they were used to be to each other?

Because, a voice in his head whispered, they had both had been changed by the other's influence. Cloud was more humble; Leon had learned to calm his anger. And they both learned that the conclusions that they came to immediately were not always the correct ones and most importantly...they had come to trust each other.

A trust that was hard fought for and well-earned.

"Please don't ask me to stay within the walls," Cloud whispered. "Just let me defend Hollow Bastion properly. Just at least this once."

Leon didn't answer for a long while, but the brunet understood that this was not his place to deny the blond this one wish. A wish that could possibly be his last. "I won't ask you then," he murmured, his arms clinging to the other almost like a small child would to its mother. "Just...just don't do something reckless."

"I can't promise you that," Cloud wryly chuckled in a bid to lift the mood, but he knew that his effort was in vain.

They were preparing to die. With such a prospect looming ahead, the need to cling to each other in the bid to seek reassurance was only natural. They could never say those forbidden words though, no matter how much they wanted to; their prides wouldn't let them. Instead, they opted for an alternative.

"I...I don't hate you," Cloud said quietly.

"Me neither," Leon sighed.

* * *

Riku watched as he saw a large imposing figure skirt around the outside of the walls, leaning against the wall heavily. He found that the night gate was still a bit of a weak point, so he decided to stay there and watch for people to come through. As the figure approached, he knew it was one of his brothers.

The wisps of silvery hair protruding from the figure's hood gave away his identity.

"Good evening dear brother," Riku greeted sarcastically, gripping a short blade that he had managed to conceal within his cloak. The figure stopped, for a moment considering the shorter former Jenova before revealing himself. It was Yazoo. Espionage had always been his strongest point.

"Why Riku, what a pleasant sur-"

He jumped back when Riku drew out his blade, his usually calm face breaking out into a look of astonishment. Riku's bright aqua green eyes glared at his elder brother. "Leave now," he hissed.

"Riku! I'm appalled! Is that any way to treat your own flesh and blood?!"

"You're no longer a brother to me," Riku stated firmly. Although he was still shaken by the fact he was fighting his own family this time around, he was firm in his conviction on whose side he was on.

He would be loyal to Sora right to the end. "I'll give you one chance to leave without blood having to be shed," he said, offering the ultimatum to the wraith-like Jenova. "After this, we will be enemies."

"You will betray us?!"

"I was never on your side to begin with!" Riku yelled. "Sephiroth killed the previous king! I know he did! I overheard him and the king arguing about surrendering to Radiant Garden before Prince Cloud was sent off into battle!"

"What makes you so sure of that?!"

"You keep trying to either use or get rid of the last remains of the Strife household, the House we swore to protect as Jenovas!" Riku yelled, the anger that he had bottled up inside for so long finally bubbling violently like a cauldron filled with water. "Did your vows to House Strife mean nothing to you?! Was the kindness of the patriarch so meaningless that you would thank him by taking his life and his family away?! Where's your sense of honour that you all used to hold in such high regard?! Where was it?!"

"That man was weak-willed! He wasn't fit to rule and neither were his sons!"

"And you think Sephiroth can do a better job?!"

"It's what Mother wanted!"

"Mother was a traitor!" Riku screamed, running forward and striking at where Yazoo had stood. Like a wisp, Yazoo had moved away just in the nick of time. "Mother plotted and plotted to overthrow the Strifes all because our father died in some war Hollow Bastion ought not have fought! Oh but it wasn't revenge she wanted, it was power!" He struck again; once more Yazoo dodged the blow.

"Don't speak ill of Mother! She saw our potential and attempted to raise us to it!"

"Don't make her actions so honourable!" Riku, in passionate fury, bellowed. Just as Yazoo brandished his anelace, the smaller silver-haired youth jumped forward and thrust his sword right into the soft unprotected abdomen of his older brother. The look of shock on his brother's face spoke volumes as he looked down in horror at the weapon seemingly sprouting out of his body. Riku pulled away quickly when he saw Yazoo's anelace swing towards him, holding the short sword in a battle ready stance. Yazoo clutched to his wound, a small maniacal chuckle escaping him.

"You'd attack your own brother...you'd try to kill your own flesh and blood..."

"We're brothers no more. We're only enemies." And although in his heart of hearts Riku didn't wish this to be, he was no longer going to stand to the side and watch his brothers rip the people he had come to care for to shreds. With a running leap, the brothers clashed as metal struck against metal with a sonorous bellow. Both were evenly matched, something that the elder had not expected from the younger as the battled under the ever watchful, mournful moon.

"You've trained well," Yazoo huffed as they pulled away from one of their conflicts. His anelace was stained scarlet from blood being drawn. His and Riku's blood were also dripping down the younger's short sword and staining their clothing, though it was more apparent on Riku's servant apparel. "Sephiroth would have been pleased with you had you decided to join us."

To hear Yazoo use the eldest Jenova's name so casually made Riku realise that the silver-haired wisp-like man was now no longer here to find allies within Hollow Bastion. And that this battle really would be the fight for his life. He held the short sword in the same way Sephiroth would with one hand, the other outstretched as if to shield himself with his own flesh.

"So you have made your choice," Yazoo whispered. "To fight against your own family and betray your kingdom."

"I betray no one," Riku responded. "I fight for my home, my friends and for the one I will protect for as long as I live. My family is dead to me."

Once more they clashed, their fight becoming a macabre dance of blood, gore and the dead, both refusing to put down their arms and surrender to the other. In the bloody dance of death, Riku felt Yazoo's anelace slice against the skin of his neck and shoulder, the scarlet gore erupting from the gaping wound and staining the green grass under their feet. He retreated this time, putting a hand over his would in a vain attempt to stop more blood from spilling. Yazoo had a maniacal smile on his face.

"You die here, little brother," he smirked, "but I _promise_ to make it as painless as possible." He leapt towards him, anelace above his head.

It had been too quick for Riku to register but all he remembered from that night would be the haunting look of Yazoo's shocked face as he stopped suddenly in front of his younger brother, a short sword sticking out from where his fragile heart had been beating. The anelace fell to the ground with a thump, soon followed by the laboured breathing mass of flesh that Riku had just killed. The younger brother looked down at the elder, he himself in amazement of his own actions.

"You know..." Yazoo wheezed, putting a hand around the hilt of the short sword, "even though you claim that you no longer a Jenova...you are much like Mother with all your plotting against us." He then smiled. "Maybe even more so that Sephiroth."

"Yazoo, wait-"

Too late. With a hellish scream that could wake the deceased, Yazoo pulled out the sword harshly. The silver-haired man died within minutes, his serpent-like green eyes glazing over with the clouds of demise while his body stilled after one last jerky movement to grab at what little threads of life that could be offered to him.

Riku sank to his knees, just looking at the dead body with a mixture of disbelief and grief.

He might have been against his brothers, and he might have forsaken his family name, but the youth could not help but mourn silently.

* * *

Morning came fresh and rosy-fingered, the spring time sun shedding light over Hollow Bastion in its blissful ignorance of what the moon had witnessed the previous night. Sora was up at the sound of the citadel's dawn chorus, waiting for Riku to arrive in an hour. But soon that hour turned into two, and then that turned into three (in the meantime Sora had gotten himself changed). For Riku to be this late, even after patrolling at night, was a surprise in itself.

Sora left the guest chambers in a bid to go look for him. He searched high and low, in every room and in every possible hiding place that Roxas had showed him the day before. The silver-haired servant was nowhere to be found.

"That's odd," Sora mumbled.

"Something troubling you?"

"Oh! Zexion." He smiled at the slate-haired man that came to approach him. "Have you seen Riku? He didn't come to my room this morning."

"Really?" Zexion looked astonished at that. "Have you tried the servant quarters?"

"I did, but no one's seen him."

"Maybe he's gone into the town. I'm sure that he may have-"

"Lord Zexion!" The slate-haired one turned quickly to where the voice was coming from, nodding to the guard that was running over to him.

"What is it?"

"Come quick! There's been an enemy attack!"

"What?! When?!"

"Last night! The servant Riku stopped it all by himself!"

Sora sped past him, ignoring the shouts from behind him. All that mattered to him was knowing if the silver-haired youth was unharmed.

After being led by worried servants and perturbed guards to the night gate that could be all but forgotten by any person, he froze when he saw Riku just kneeling on the ground, unresponsive to all the voices and bodies that were surrounding him, his body shaking violently. Just a little further away from him was the dead body of a man that held all the characteristics that Riku held.

This, Sora had realised, was one of four of Riku's older brothers. Zexion stopped just alongside him, nearly gasping in shock at the sight. "That's Yazoo!" He turned to a guard that was standing over the kneeling youth. "What happened?" he demanded.

"From what I can interpret from Master Riku's tale, the enemy was trying to find weaknesses within the walls. Master Riku just happened to be here when the enemy came across the night gate." He looked at the silver-haired youth sadly. "The boy was lucky enough to escape with his life. This 'Yazoo' was clearly an excellent fighter that just let his arrogance get the better of him."

"Of course he was an excellent fighter!" Zexion snapped. "Yazoo injured me the last time we crossed blades! For Riku to even kill him is a miracle in itself!"

Sora had kneeled by the servant's side, wrapping his arms around him tightly. Riku was still shaking. "It's alright Riku...nothing's going to happen to you. You're safe."

"I'm...I'm a murderer..." The voice had been so soft that only Sora had been able to hear it because he was so close. "I never thought that I'd have to kill my own family..." He looked down at his blood stained hands, the red now trails of dry cracked dust. "Maybe the worst traitor of us all...is me..."

"You're not a traitor," Sora said firmly, taking Riku's face into his hands and forcing the servant to look at him. "If anyone were a traitor your brothers would quite easily fit the description! You're the most loyal person I know! You saved Cloud and Roxas for goodness sakes! You saved my life!" Sora looked away slightly, back at the body. "If...if you really were a traitor, would you have saved me that time when I was kidnapped?"

Riku remained silent, though he fell heavily against the brunet prince, clinging to the other's clothing in one small bid of comfort. Sora's arms went around the other, holding him close as he felt the cloth on his shoulder become wet with heartbroken tears.

No one could say the silver-haired youth was wrong for mourning over the death of his brother. Blood ran thicker than water, they said. Anyone of them who had family on the opposing side would feel a sadness in the knowledge that they, one day, might have to dispose that relative.

* * *

Yazoo's body was burnt later on that day, a funerary pyre built out of green wood and his ashes scattered to the four winds. The sole mourner was Riku, still shaken from his wounds, though Sora joined him for support. The guards dared not to disrespect the body, though the general consensus was one of outrage that they could not spit on the corpse or send the spirit off with foul curses. Zexion, acting as the representative for Leon, and Roxas with his two guardians stood a little bit away from the group, faces void of emotion.

"This conflict has already claimed one life," Zexion murmured. "An important enemy, yes, but a brother as well."

"It means one less head to take off," Axel said spitefully, clearly of the opinion that the bastard deserved what he got if not more. "One down, only three more serpents to go."

"Don't say that!" Roxas snapped, frowning at the red-haired one. "If you say that in front of Riku, I'll never forgive you!"

"Then I'll make it a habit to keep my disdain for the Jenovas from him then, prince."

"Don't have a lover's quarrel," Zexion droned. Roxas and Axel flinched at that. "We need a united front when our foes arrive."

Lexaeus, largely silent throughout that day, finally asked, "Do you think the boy will be able to stay strong, when he knows that he could become the last of his family line?"

The pregnant pause to his question was near deafening. Zexion at last answered, "For his sake, and for the prince's, I hope he does."

* * *

Kadaj impatiently barged into the crimson tent, his exotic katana clicking vigorously against his armoured side. The white and silver clothed guards averted their gaze away; they knew how much of a temper the eldest of the Jenova triplets owned.

"Yazoo is taking too long!" Kadaj spat, glaring at the figure that was currently lazing back against a plush seat, a table covered in battle maps situated a little bit to the side of him. "He should have been back by now!"

The youngest triplet, Loz, now stepped into the tent. He looked troubled. "Brothers, is there no news of Yazoo?"

The eldest finally stood, long, flowing silver locks trailing behind him like swan wings, beautifully angled yet unearthly coloured face looking so calm and unperturbed that one would think of him to be some sort of angel.

But behind such angelic looks was the heart of a devil. This, the people of Archades, and all other people who were unfortunate enough to cross paths against him, was Sephiroth, head of House Jenova, the general whose bloody exploits would go down in history as legend. This was who the annalists would call 'The Holy Serpent'. "If Yazoo has not yet arrived by tomorrow morn, then we can safely assume that he was killed in action."

"Then we have lost our knowledge of Hollow Bastion's current strengths and weaknesses!" Kadaj snapped. "Those barbarians are no fools! Yazoo told me that they are keen tacticians when the time calls for it! They will have learnt from our mistakes from our last battle with them!"

"Be that as it may, last time they had numbers of their side. This time, we are using all the powers of the Archadian Empire, a vaster and more powerful empire than that of Radiant Garden's," Sephiroth calmly assured. He was oozing with quiet confidence. "Our whelp from the moors stands no chance against our command now."

"You still aim to puppeteer that blond brat though," Kadaj spat venomously. "Personally, I would rather kill him and that mouse of a younger brother too."

"A puppet Cloud might be, but he seems to no longer be controlled by strings." Sephiroth only smirked lightly, not at all in the least bit fazed by his young brother's ranting. "Instead, I think we need to chain our marionette back to his bar."

"How?" Loz asked.

"Simple. We subdue him in the same way we subdued Riku before he escaped our clutches."

At this, Kadaj's mood had lifted. Loz, on the other hand, still had a straight face, knowing all too well what Sephiroth had meant. "But what if we can't retrieve Cloud?"

"Then we'll simply have to rid ourselves of him. He's no use to us if he can't even behave himself." Sephiroth then paused between his two younger brothers. "We'll rid ourselves of Roxas and Riku as well. The world we'll create has no need for either of them. Maybe Hyne will take them under His wing if He's in a merciful mood." He continued his trek to leave the tent. "We leave at first light tomorrow."

* * *

Back in Borealis, Edea could only pray continuously in the citadel's cathedral, barely eating, barely drinking, barely even sleeping. In vain hope she had thought that miracle could be blessed upon them, such as some strange illness striking down her king's foes without him having to raise his sword at them, or some freak force of nature forcing the tide of evil back to whence it came. Hyne was silent. Not even his angels or his saints would come down to either soothe her fears or aid the boys that she had nursed since they were very young.

Not even the legendary Warrior of the Light, the Evangel of Hyne, would grace the world with his presence. Saint Firion, the holy master of arms, did not walk the earth. The fabled Onion Knight did not appear to her. Not even the sweet tempered Saint Cecil would come to offer words of reassurances. Needless to say, she felt abandoned by the god that had made her a Sorceress.

How she cursed that day when once more the Wheel of Fortune appeared in her tarot card reading. How she prayed it wasn't true when the Lovers revealed itself the truth of her king's and his concubine's relationship. How she wept when the Judgement card exposed the dangers that awaited for all those that went into that fateful battle. Oh, how wretched was she who saw these visions.

And Leon ignored her. She knew he would ignore her warnings; he felt far too strongly for Cloud to send him away. But some small part of her had hoped that maybe he would see sense and send the concubine away, maybe even settle down and marry. But no...Leon, although he tried to play the part of peacemaker, was a far more accomplished leader as a warrior. As long as there was a battle to fight, Leon would always take up the role as a combatant. There was no avoiding it.

But still, she hoped and prayed that Hyne would spare Leon and Sora from death. That was why she kept an eye out for omens. So far, there had thankfully been none.

"Lord Hyne," she whispered quietly, "I will never ask anything more from you if you grant me this one wish...let them live...please, let them live..."


	48. Omen

**A/N:** I'm making this chapter as short and sweet as possible because my Word programme has had a breakdown. Seriously, I've had to finish this chapter on the editing page of this site (not good. Not good at all, Microsoft). Anyway, before I go on a rant on how Windows Vista is slowly ruining my life and I wish I had the old 1997-2003 version instead (i.e. my old laptop), I'm gonna let you guys in lil' ol' land of Ing on the news about this weekend: I am officially going to the Expo, and I am cosplaying as Cissnei. If anyone's going, you'll probably see me running around with a Before Crisis Elena, a Shindara (if that's how you spell his name) and probably a character called Nausicaa (I can't remember what shows she from though, so I'll have to check with my friends). Another possibility is that I might be going around with a human!Bulbasaur (he's performing in the masquerade so minna-chan! Cheer for him!). If you see me, you can come and approach me! Just don't glomp me from behind!!!

And I can officially confirm this: HUS is ending at chapter 51 (that's an extra chapter for you guys ha ha ha, almost as long as M.A.). Eveyone, thanks for sticking around for the ride. It's been awesome so far! Let's see if I can complete this before Christmas!

Much love, and please review for they are my milk-flavoured pocky!

* * *

**Omen**. They were the signs that foreshadowed what was to come. Sometimes they could be good signs, and other times they could have been less desireable.

Cid was by no means superstitious. Oh no, he prided himself on being the least superstitious person anyone could come across. But despite that, he was still spooked over what had happened last week.

"Here," Shera whispered, passing him a flask of warm ale to stave off the chill wind that night. Unlike Cid, she was superstitious. She didn't like how cold and windy it was this spring night.

"I never...how could I have not have noticed that Fenrir was pregnant?"

"No one would have known until she was far into her pregnancy," Shera soothed, sitting down across from him. "There was nothing we could have done to save the foal."

"You think her miscarrying is some sort of omen, don't you?"

Shera was silent for a long while, before murmuring, "I do...it might seem strange, or stupid but I honestly do think that it was an omen. I mean...the only horse that she'd allow to come near her was Griever. Don't you think it to be too much of a coincidence that Cloud and the king's horse mated without us realising it? And that Fenrir's miscarriage happening at a time when the king's about to march into another battle symbolic?"

Cid thought about it. No matter how he tried to think it to not be so, Shera's words rang far too true. "It means that something bad is going to happen to the king and Cloud, doesn't it?"

"It's too early to say," Shera whispered. "But maybe...maybe this isn't as bad as we think it is."

* * *

Edea was still kneeling in front of the small altar in the chapel within the cathedral, having been moved there by the Abbot and the monks that lived with him there. But the more she prayed for everyone's safety, the more distressing her visions became. She saw a battle between a lion and a snake, with a wolf jumping into the fight and taking a venomous bite in the lion's stead. She saw a tower crumbling , two people falling to their deaths in the chaos. She saw red, red blood.

There seemed no end to these horrifying apparitions, and with each new one, her faith in Hyne began to weaken.

"If Squall is doomed to fall," Edea whispered, "then please...please let Sora live. You gain nothing by taking his life. Nothing at all."

Silence answered her, though the soft breath of air that blew through the small windows danced with the small flickers of candlelight illuminating the room. Edea nodded her head, seemingly satisfied with that answer. "Yes...that's what I ask. I'll do whatever you wish of me if you grant me this one request." Another gust, this time far more powerful than the last, snuffing out the holy candle that was never meant to go out when the moon took control of the sky. Edea closed her eyes, feeling warm tears stream her face. "Your will...shall be done..."

* * *

The smell of the sweet olive tree did little to calm the sitar-player as he strummed the strings of his exotic instrument, its voice singing sweetly with the night lark. However, he was feeling pensive.

Zexion was in Hollow Bastion now. And about to enter another battle. Demyx couldn't help but feel worried for him. But he knew that if he ever dared tried to convey his fears anymore to the petit advisor, Zexion would only become angry with him...or become scared of following the man he swore he would follow regardless of the dangers. He couldn't do that to him.

"Still doesn't mean I feel easy about all this," Demyx whispered to himself, too enraptured with his own thoughts and the music escaping his strange instrument. But even as his fingers deftly moved from string to string, he still heard that he was making mistakes that he shouldn't have been making.

He was thankful that no one was hearing him play now when he was doing so badly.

"I wonder if he's alright..." He was brought out of his pensive thoughts when he heard a snap, pulling his hand back away from the instrument when he felt a sharp shock attack his hand. He looked at his fingers. They were bleeding. One of his strings of his sitar had broken. "But...how...?" If anyone knew Demyx well enough, they would know that the bard always took extra care of his sitar. For it to break...

"Is this...a sign?" he questioned as he watched the blood slide down his finger.

* * *

"Have you seen all the crows that have been hanging around in the town?"

"What about those ravens? The ravens?"

"They aren't what we should worry about. I've heard that people have seen ghosts from the last battle fought here."

"Ghosts aren't what we should worry about either. Didn't you hear about the royal standard getting torn out of the blue?"

Zexion slammed his fist down, glaring at the suddenly spooked guards that had been talking loudly in panicked tones. "If you have time to talk about old wives' tales, then use it to guard this place," he snapped. If he heard one more whisper about another omen, so help him he was going to make an example out of someone. But could he honestly blame them all?

Carrion birds had begun to next within the citadel's walls, ghosts and spirits were reported to have been seen and to top it all off the royal standard had inexplicably torn this blustery day. It was almost as if they were doomed to fail in their intentions. But that was only the case if they allowed the morale of the soldiers fall. That meant keeping them busy or proving their fears false – the latter being the tall order. Soldiers were the most superstitious bunch of people, only better than sailors.

"Zexion, do you have a moment?"

The advisor turned, seeing that the king was coming towards him. Surprisingly, he was alone. "I always have a moment for you, my liege," Zexion responded politely. He noted that Leon seemed to be troubled. "What is it?"

"Walk with me," Leon commanded, walking past the smaller man. Zexion quickly fell into step, looking up at the brunet with a curious look.

"What troubles you my liege?"

"How superstitious are you?"

"Huh?" Zexion blinked, a little perplexed that Leon would ask him something like that. He wondered if this was just a casual conversation like they used to have in peaceful times...but the look on Leon's face told him that he was deadly serious about this. Zexion sighed. "Not very. I mean, I'll listen to Edea, but I'm not the type of person to blame witchcraft if something goes wrong."

"What about dreams?"

"What about them?"

"Do you think they can hold warnings...or be prophetic?"

"Leon," Zexion whispered. "Is there...something wrong? Can you not sleep?"

There was a long silence between them. Enwrapped in his thoughts, Zexion hadn't realised that Leon had taken them to a relatively quiet room that was only being used as a storage room for weapons. He blinked when he heard the door closed.

"Having nightmares about things that haven't happened yet isn't exactly something you can talk about in the open when we still haven't drawn a sword against the enemy," Leon muttered, walking away from the door and leaning against the far wall. His scarred face was pensive, his lower lip thinning lightly in concern. Zexion stood in front of him, looking at his liege in question.

"Nightmares?"

"I keep seeing the battlefield. I keep seeing people falling in battle and I can't help them."

"Leon...it's just a dream."

"I couldn't save you Zexion..." Leon murmured, looking down at the floor. Zexion was silent. "I couldn't save you...or Axel...or Sora...dammit, I couldn't even save Cloud or his brother!"

"It was only a dream. They don't hold much in the way of prophecy."

"What if this one does? What then?" No answer. "What if I lose everything in this one battle that matters? All that I've done up until this point will be meaningless!" Leon jumped when he suddenly felt a small frame embrace his middle, holding him tightly.

Zexion was never the type of man to show his emotions so freely, having always guarded them since they were children. In the awkward silence, it had been Zexion that had broken it. "A long time ago, I would have done anything to hold you...or be held by you like this. But I never acted, because I never wanted to risk losing the friendship we had."

"Zex...ion?"

"You picked me up when I was at my lowest. You saved me from a life that would have seen me dying in some degrading way for a human to die. How could I not have such strong feelings towards you?!" He felt tears fall down his face. Tears that he had only let Demyx see once or twice before. "But I knew that it was a hopeless wish. Our positions were far too different, and I'm not the type of person to break down like this." He smiled. "So, I want you to know, that I don't plan on dying." He pulled away, rubbing his eyes roughly. "I have too much to live for. Just like you do. And Axel won't die either. He has a family and a little prince to think about."

"...just what is that demands you to survive?" Leon asked, still slightly in shock at Zexion's actions.

"Isn't it obvious?" Zexion smirked. "Demyx is my reason for living. And I think I can tell what your reason for living is too."

"What is it?"

"You don't know?"

"Why do you think I'm asking you?"

Zexion started walking away. "It's not my place to tell you. You have to figure it out for yourself, my liege." His smirk widened a little bit. "I can assure you though; it's not your kingdom that you want to live for though." And with that, he left the king to ponder over his words, all the while smiling to himself as he understood why his reasons for living were so important.

This time, it wasn't for logical reasons. He was fighting to protect his own matters of the heart.

* * *

Riku was still looking out over the citadel walls, out to where Yazoo had been cremated. Sora stayed by his side, resolute in his bid to do whatever it took to comfort and protect the silver-haired youth.

"...I may have to kill another one of my brothers," Riku whispered fearfully, pulling his cloak tighter around him. "I...I don't think I can do it again."

"You can," Sora smiled brightly, taking a hold of Riku's hand tightly. "And when you can't protect Hollow Bastion, I'll protect you instead. It's a promise."

"My prince, you're still only an amateur when it comes to the sword..."

"So? I can still do what I can to protect you and everyone else!"

Riku just shook his head, sighing quietly as he looked out over those green lands that had been his home for so long. Were the fields always this green or that covered in flowers? Was the sky always so blue? Did the forests always look so cool and lush? "To think, a while ago I never thought I'd see this place again." He then looked down at his feet. "This place is so stained with the blood of so many and yet it still looks so beautiful..."

"You don't...want to fight anymore, do you?"

"Why do we have to fight? There must be another way! There must!"

"Riku, I don't think-"

"Why are people so desperate to die for their own beliefs?! What's the point of it?! In the end what they might believe could turn out to be just a lie!" He flinched when he felt a pain of arms wrap around him tightly, feeling someone's face bury into his back.

"People don't just die for what they believe in," Sora whispered. "There are so many reasons that one person is willing to die for. And there are just as many reasons that one person is willing to live for." His grip tightened lightly. "I mean, I know that I want to live because I don't want to leave you alone."

But was that reason enough to live, Riku had asked himself. Was living for one person enough of a reason to inspire the courage and strength needed to go into battle? "Am I the only reason, or is there more to it?"

"Of course there's more to it," Sora said, tugging Riku slightly as if to ask him to turn. The silver-haired one complied, curious as to what the young prince's answer was. "You're my reason to live, because I want to go and see the world with you. I want to see all the places that you've seen with you."

Riku didn't respond immediately, not knowing what to say to such an innocent reason. He then muttered, "Am I really that important?"

"Yes," Sora said firmly. "And I promise that I'll protect for as long as I live." He held his hand out, his fingers and thumb curled into a fist while his little finger was outstretched, pointing to the silver-haired youth.

"Isn't that what I should be saying?" But Riku felt his little finger curl around Sora's, a sign of a promise that both parties intended to keep.

"Hey Riku."

"Hmm?"

Riku nearly faltered when he felt the first press of lips to his own, though his body did nothing to push him away despite his mind telling him to do so. Sora pulled back, smiling brightly at him. "Now it really is a promise."

Riku could only look at the smaller brunet with a dumb look upon his face, in disbelief of how cheeky the young prince had become. "...If someone saw that..."

"They saw me kissing you, not you taking advantage of me. Don't you worry about it; I'll protect you, remember?"

Even though it seemed doubtful that someone so young and inexperienced with a blade could protect someone who could kill a man with only a short sword or a knife, Riku couldn't help but feel a little more secure, a little warmer knowing that he had someone that was willing to stand up in his defence. He patted the prince on the head, something that any normal servant would never dream of doing but, he guessed Sora was an exceptional master and they were in exceptional circumstances. "Yeah, I remember."

* * *

Cloud couldn't help but think that Leon was being oddly quiet that night. Of course, he knew that Leon was the type to speak when he felt it was important to speak (but not to the same extent as, say, Lexaeus), but for Leon to be utterly silent when they were around each other was an oddity. He had to wonder...just what was he thinking? Was he nervous about the upcoming battle?

If the latter was the case, that really did blow to pieces the image of Leon being a warrior who was completely without fear and without nerves when it came to warfare. Nothing like the blond's father and brothers.

But maybe, he thought, this made him seem more realistic than the elder members of his family had been.

"Cloud," Leon mumbled.

"Yes?" Cloud leaned on his elbows. They were both in bed, but Leon hadn't touched him at all. That in itself set the alarms in the blond's head off.

"Promise me that you'll stay within the citadel's walls."

"What? Why?"

"I need you to stay here, where I can keep an eye on you."

"Surely this is something you say to your little brother, or to Roxas," Cloud retorted, somehow feeling deeply annoyed that Leon was ordering him around.

"This applies to you as well." Faster than Cloud could yell, Leon had turned him over so that he was sprawled on his back, the elder of the two hanging over him like some lion looming over its prey when it catches it. "Even if I can't keep everyone safe, I want to do my utmost to protect the ones closest to me."

"...and that includes...me?"

"Only an idiot who knew what our history was like wouldn't see that." He leaned in slowly. "And the even bigger fool would be the one who dares to question whether he's important to the other or not."

"I...I wasn't questioning." The blond looked away, over to the window. The moon was beginning to wane now, a shadowy cloak slowly enveloping its light. "But...all I am is just a glorified prisoner in your care, even if you have given me the chance to go as I please within reason."

"Do you want to be freed?"

"What kind of question is that?!"

"Because there's no chain attaching you to me despite what you might think."

Cloud blinked, looking at the brunet as if he had just said the most incredibly ridiculous thing he could have come up with. And maybe in a way, it was. "You mean to tell me that, if I wished to, I could have left at any time?"

"Well, to an extent," Leon admitted, "but I probably wouldn't have allowed you to."

"Amazing; you managed to contradict yourself within the space of a minute," Cloud sarcastically pointed out.

"You enjoy playing the cat and mouse game though," Leon smirked.

Cloud was about to protest his innocence, but then realised that arguing with Leon would only end up him fighting a losing battle. "So, I'm not allowed to leave the citadel, even when we're fighting."

"That's the gist of it."

"Fine."

Leon blinked. "You've been oddly compliant tonight."

"And you've been even stranger," Cloud countered. To this, Leon had no response. Cloud continued, "I could probably find some way to make myself useful within the walls. I'm not staying out of this battle."

"I expected as much," the other sighed, moving himself to lie next to Cloud, his hands behind his head. "I've learnt that you aren't the type to sit idly by when there's something you can do."

"And I've learnt you're probably the most stubborn ass who refuses to tell anyone what's bothering him unless he views it as important."

Leon only made a small amused sound before mumuring, "Maybe."

* * *

It was far too quiet for Axel's liking that night as he patrolled along the walls, both hands resting loosely onto the chakrams hanging off his hips. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that there were no nocturnal birds whispering their hunting calls, or that the wind had quietened down to just a mere tickling though the grassy fields. Either way, something about this waning moonlit night was bothering the red-haired man. "It's rare that I'm ever wrong, but is it possible that I'm overreacting?" he questioned himself quietly, nodding to a few guards who saluted him as they were about to pass. He guessed that ever since he became Roxas' protector, he had become a lot more paranoid of his surroundings, always jumping at even just the slightest disturbance. Although Roxas hadn't seemed to have noticed, Zexion did slyly remark on Axel's rather unusual behaviour. "But he is right," Axel murmured to himself. "It doesn't hurt to be a little more vigilant than usual."

That's when he heard the distinct sound of whistling through the air, as it were a hot knife cutting through butter. He barely dodged in time to see the first arrow clatter in front of him. "Take cover!" Axel yelled at the guards. "Now!" He watched a few unfortunate guards take hits to their shoulders, though one had the worst luck as it hit him straight in the unprotected neck. Axel grounded his teeth together, daring to peek over the battlements to see who their assailents were.

From a distance, he could just about make out the front line that had suddenly materialised out of thin air. All of them archers, those that could wield the longbow variety. Although there seemed to be many of them, Axel knew that archers had to stay in one place in order to get the best shot. In other words: easy targets. "Get the ballistas prepared and fire at will!" Axel ordered.

Lexaeus had been busy in this past year as acting head of Hollow Bastion by building all sorts of contraptions meant for war. This meant that there were more ballistas on hand than there usually were, Lexaeus had somehow found a bountiful supply off ammunition (barrels of oil, boulders, all manner of things) and Lexaeus had even gone about fortifying the entire city. In short, Axel was thanking his lucky stars that the giant was on their side. For now, he had taken shelter in one of the towers, looking through the window to see what was going on. The first boulders from the ballistas were fired, crushing the enemy line with a series of craters. He couldn't help but smirk when the familiar sound of flying arrows began to lessen considerably and when the scene of a long line of archers beginning to retreat unfolded in front of him.

But still, a part of him was thinking that this was only the gauntlet being thrown down at them; it was never meant to escalate into a full scale battle. If this was the start of the war, they were looking at a long and hard period of besiegement ahead. And even though they had the advantage of having control of Hollow Bastion, Axel had a horrible feeling that something bad was going to happen.

As dawn finally arose, the first of the carrion birds flew from their nests in the citadel and in the nearby forest to feast upon the dead comrades that had been left behind. None were left behind as the skin was torn from muscle by harsh, unforgiving beaks as the birds gorged upon their flesh. Eventually, all that would be left would be their bones. And their spirits could ask themselves as they watched their mortal hosts disappear into the harbringers of omen's bellies, what was their sacrifice all for?


	49. Kismet

**A/N:** -faints- I've done it....it has taken me exactly forty-two days to do it, but I have completed this chapter. And am one step closer to ending HUS (wow...this is getting a little scary now...I wonder if this will live to see its second birthday?). Anyway, sorry it took so long; just a lot of things have been happening recently, and with Christmas on the way, I'm really behind in getting people their gifts (more importantly, my folks back home -grimaces-). Sorry if there seems to be more mistakes than usual. I'm exhausted. My editing skills suffer when I'm tired.

But thanks to everyone who has been reading, and who has been patiently waiting. I hope this makes it all worth it! Please read, enjoy and review! For they are my Christmas Yulelogs!

* * *

**Kismet**. The ancient word for doomed fate. If there was ever a word that could describe a situation such as the one Leon's forces found themselves in, this could easily do the deed.

In the old meeting hall above the great hall, of which the former had turned into the war room and the latter the resting place of injured soldiers, the warlords and their king huddled around the table, watching as the chief advisor pointed out important pieces of information and drew notes on the map of Hollow Bastion and the surrounding area. There was Xigbar, the master archer who never missed a shot; Xaldin, the man who would in the history books become known as "The Whirlwind Lancer"; Vexen was there too, as a representative of the medical forces that had been brought along to the battlefield; Lexaeus, the silent hero who was using all his prowess in both strength and intellect to make sure that the defences of Hollow Bastion would not be breached; Zexion acted as the tactician of the group, using his spies to pinpoint weaknesses in the enemies forces (of which, they had discovered, were not many); then there was Saïx, Abbot Xemnas' holy knight, who was there as the Church's representative in this war as well as a means to preach to the troops and inspire faith and hope in them (however, the belief was that Saïx was actually scaring the troops into believing in Hyne's will rather than preaching his teachings); Axel, the Prince of Hollow Bastion's trusted knight and old friend of the King of Radiant Garden, was there standing beside the young prince's side, unusually silent for the most part and even more unusually wary of the surroundings, as if he were expecting something to come out and attack them. Finally, there were the two leaders; Leon, the king of Radiant Garden and experienced warrior with the prime of youth on his side, and Roxas, the prince of Hollow Bastion, a boy who could only just manage to defend himself with a short sword if he were to ever be attacked.

"So in short," Vexen grumbled, his arms crossed tightly against his chest. "We're doomed since our _dear friend_ Sephiroth has made sure that any and all weaknesses are hidden from view."

"So it seems," Zexion replied, pulling his hand away after finishing drawing up another marker that symbolised the most recent troops that had been sent to go around Hollow Bastion. "However, I think the mere fact that all of my spies have been able to fool Sephiroth's common grunts is an important factor."

"What are you proposing Zexion?" Saïx asked, his voice as calm and collected as usual.

"I'm proposing we have one man go in there and save us from starving ourselves in the citadel for a further week." He looked fairly confident in his own men's abilities. "Think about it. If they can fool them, think of the damage that can be done with a trained assassin? We could leave a great big gaping hole in the ranks, or better still, in their leadership."

"But just one man?" Xaldin questioned. "Don't be ridiculous. One man might be harder to find but if he kills recklessly, he'll be discovered in no time."

"And Sephiroth's no fool," Xigbar quipped. "He comes from a lineage regarded as the ultimate warriors. The training he's received would have been far more..."

"Inhumane," Roxas muttered, unwittingly gaining attention to himself. Axel put a hand on the youth's shoulder. "Riku is...no _was_ a Jenova. I can remember him coming back some nights with injuries that he just never explained how he got them."

"We're not here to discuss about some servant's past life," Saïx stated coldly. "This is a _war room_, remember? Anything that little turncoat did in the past is-" He flinched in surprise when a loud wooden thump sounded from the table. Axel's gloved fist was shaking heavily in anger.

"I will not have you talk to the prince in that tone," Axel said quietly, though his voice was laced with aggravation. Saïx just merely looked at him, his calm composure regained.

"Most sincere apologies, old friend," Saïx monotonously grumbled. "I must have forgotten my place...as well as yours as the dog of a-"

"Stand down Saïx," Lexaeus finally spoke, his eyes boring into Saïx. "Or do you wish to be disciplined for your cheek." Saïx didn't respond, opting for silence this time. Lexaeus looked over to Zexion. "Please continue."

"Yes, quite," Zexion cleared his throat, shaking his head lightly. "As I was saying, I understand that sending one man may have some issues concerning by how many men he ought to kill or if he should just head straight for the viper's head, however, unless we go out of the citadel in a full out assault on the enemy, this besiegement is going to go on for weeks, months maybe even a year if we can ration the foodstuffs correctly. I for one would like to avoid that situation at all costs." He looked over to Leon, who had been silent this whole time, just looking at the battle map. "My liege, your thoughts on this?"

There was a pregnant pause for a long while, until finally Leon said, "No."

"No?"

"We don't do anything until we have more information of Sephiroth."

"What?!" Axel yelled, for the second time letting his hands collide with the table. "You can't be serious?!"

"I think you'll find that I am, Axel," Leon said quietly. He wasn't looking at anyone; more like, he was looking through them all. "I will not let any man, on his own or within a troop, leave the citadel until we have better idea of what Sephiroth plans to do. That means that there will be no assassination attempt, and no assault on his forces. Do I make myself clear?" There was a silence...followed soon by grumbles of grudging agreement. Leon nodded his head. "That settles it then. Please continue your duties with due diligence. Zexion, let your spies find out solid information on Sephiroth's battle plans. They will be the key to winning this battle. Let me know when you have the information we need. Meeting adjourned."

The warlords, grumbling over how the king had suddenly become unlike the warrior they had grown used to. Axel had left in a huff, clearly unhappy at the prospect of not acting sooner, while Zexion had respectfully bowed and left, most likely to go about his duties. Roxas had hesitated over leaving, only doing so when Lexaeus herded him off, muttering something about having to calm down a certain 'hothead'. Leon was left in the room, slumping into a chair that had long been forgotten in the room, pinching the bridge of his nose and rubbing it in annoyance.

"You can come out now Cloud," he muttered. The blond revealed himself; he had been hiding behind a tapestry the entire time the meeting had been going on Leon had reckoned. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough to know what's going on," Cloud admitted, walking over to the table and looking at the battle plans. "Zexion's right, you know."

"So you're going to try and convince me that I'm wrong?"

"You're right too." Cloud looked over to him. "It's foolish to go out there without knowing your enemy and in what manner he behaves."

"So what do you think should be done?"

"Rather than send someone to find out what Sephiroth is like, why not send someone who already _knows_ what Sephiroth is like," Cloud suggested.

"Are you suggesting sending Riku out when he's still shaken by Yazoo's death?"

"Of course not!" Cloud exclaimed. "I'd never do that to him!"

"Then who do you suggest we send out then?"

"Me."

Leon had leant forward so fast that he almost fell out of the chair. "Are you insane?!"

"Do you see me babbling like a lunatic?" Cloud's eyes narrowed, letting his body sit on the table edge. "I know Sephiroth. I've seen what he's capable of. I have a better idea of what he's going to do than anyone else in this place."

"And Riku?"

"Riku's determined to put his past with his brothers behind him, and I'm not willing to allow him to be a key part in another one of their deaths. That brush with Yazoo has damaged him enough as it is. And there is also no way I'd ever allow Roxas to go near Sephiroth. I'm the obvious choice."

"May I remind you that you have tried to assassinate me twice, and failed both times?" Leon pointed out. "And that was just me, in Sephiroth's eyes a 'whelp'. Do you honestly think you can fool Sephiroth into thinking you're just a shadow?" The brunet shook his head, standing up from his seat. "Leave the cloak and dagger masquerade to Zexion's spies. You're ill suited."

"Then what if I led a group of willing volunteers to rush straight at him?"

Leon gave him a hard glare; Cloud didn't even falter. "Do you think me that incompetent to not see the risks that lie in that ridiculous offer?"

"It's not like I'm asking an army from you. And I know that they might not respect my command if they find out who exactly I am but-"

"I'm not willing to lose you!"

The silence left behind by Leon's outburst was almost deafening to them both, Cloud just staring at the other as if he just grew another head, while Leon was looking away stubbornly, too proud to admit what had possessed him to yell what he did. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Don't make me repeat myself."

"What do you mean by 'you're not willing to lose me'?"

"You're my possession. I take good care of things that belong to me."

"Don't give me that bullshit Leon!" Cloud screeched. "You told me the real reason why you won't let me go! You can't tell me it's because you value possessions!"

"...you're right, I can't say that." Leon suddenly forced Cloud onto the table, holding the other's wrists tightly. Although it was Cloud's usual response to struggle, this time he didn't. He wanted an answer, and if it meant getting pushed around like this, so be it. "But you already know the answer. Think back to _that_ night."

When Cloud did, the night at the catacomb's sacred spring came flushing back into his mind. That one moment when they both let their guards down and allowed their own desires to take over reared its ugly head, along with the words that Leon had said in the aftermath of their lustful encounter. "So...even though I'm clearly the root to your downfall in the eyes of fate, you want to act on your own selfishness so badly you're willing to throw it all away."

"I don't believe that everything Edea predicts comes true. She's not always correct; all she can do is assume what will happen. It would be impossible for her to be completely accurate."

"Prove it."

"How's this? When I was ten Edea predicted that there would be a plot to kill me and Sora off. However, she was mistaken. The plot was that to permanently remove her from her position as regent and guardian. Needless to say, it had shaken her but she still to this day believes in her cards right to the end, even though I tell her she ought to use other methods to make sure her assumptions are correct."

"So...you mean...?"

"Every person has an equal chance of falling to the sword in this battle. There's nothing predetermined."

"You don't believe in fate?"

"I don't think Hyne can predestine our lives. In fact, if anything, I think there is no control of what happens during their course. The only thing that determines how our lives play out are the choices that are made." He pulled away, sighing softly. "I've made my choice. If I'm going to die because of it, so be it."

"...Little wonder Lady Edea despairs of you sometimes," Cloud muttered. "Why risk your life for me?"

"Isn't the answer obvious?" Leon asked, his back turned to the blond who was picking himself up from the table.

"No, it isn't obvious. We may not hate each other like we did in the past, but we're not close either." And that was the painful truth of it all. They were only close in physical attraction, not by emotional bond. But Cloud had known Leon long enough to realise that he was being like this because something had spooked him. "You're worried about something, aren't you?"

"It's nothing," Leon retorted, heading to the door. He halted just before stepping past the threshold. "Cloud..."

"What?"

"I mean it. I forbid you to get anywhere close to Sephiroth."

"...alright," Cloud sighed. The answer seemed to be enough for the king because he left shortly after. He never heard the rest of Cloud's sentence. "I'm going. I have to."

* * *

The night provided extra shadows for the figure garbed in black with the absence of the moon, the cloudy blanket that barred the starlight. Like Zexion had reported, getting past the "bucket heads" (a nickname that he affectionately gave them) was a simple task thanks to their gleaming white and silver apparel that prevented them from running much. It was tricking the guards that were clearly of higher ranks that had been the issue, the black figure dodging and weaving from shadow to shadow, from hiding place to hiding place.

But still no sign of a Jenova. Or at least, no sign of a specific member of the Jenova family. He continued though, intent in his search for blood.

It was what felt like an eternity to him that he finally came across it; a blood red tent that had the House of Solidor crest on its flap. The home of either a member of the royal family or, as Zexion's spies had confirmed, a trusted member of the Solidor's circle of trust. This instinctively equated to one person in his mind: Sephiroth of House Jenova.

Like a panther stalking its prey in the shadows of the deepest jungle, he crept up towards the tent. Candlelight was still burning inside, illuminating what was happening on the inside like shadow puppets that were popular in Bhujerba. He deliberated on how he was going to enter the tent without causing too much suspicion when his first bout of luck occurred; the candlelight had been snuffed. Hesitant at first, he took the chance, slunk over to the darkened tent's entrance, pushing away the flap as quietly as possible. He had another stroke of luck; it was his intended target. He recognised that long silvery head of hair from anywhere, even if he was sleeping. However, the situation was familiar; his second attempt at killing Leon had ended up in failure despite planning it as best as he could in a short amount of time. This time, he would not hesitate like he had last time.

Taking great care not to make a noise, he moved towards the sleeping figure, small dagger in hand and ready to strike.

And that was when his luck ran out. A firm grip latched onto his wrist like an iron manacle, eliciting a gasp from him. Then another silver-haired man appeared, putting the tip of his double-blade to the black-garbed one's neck. Finally, his target stood at full height, only dressed in his trousers, a very smug smirk upon his ethereal features.

"Lovely to see you once more," Sephiroth started, wrenching the other's hood and scarf off. "Cloud."

The blond didn't dare struggle; Kadaj's blade's point had a perfect set-up to strike if he did. A painful squeeze from the Jenova behind him made him release the dagger he had been holding, hearing it land in the floor with a thump. Kadaj smirked at him. "So the black sheep returns, despite being soiled by the wolf."

"And bearing ill will it appears," Sephiroth stated, looking at the dagger on the floor with amusement. "Dear _prince_, do you have no vision? A dagger isn't very imaginative of you."

"Neither was your plan to use Yazoo as a medium to persuade me to kill Leon."

"Hmm, maybe. But it was effective. And Yazoo made a habit of covering his tracks save for that one time." Sephiroth leant in at that point, his perfectly shaped face so close to Cloud's that they could almost taste each other's breaths. "Speaking of whom, would you like to tell us where he is." Cloud knew that this wasn't a question. And although he knew he should've been silent...he couldn't pass up the opportunity to rub it in the Jenovas' face.

"Yazoo's dead," Cloud smirked, putting on an arrogant air about him. "I killed him." He almost cried out when he felt a kick to his back, forcing him to fall to his knees.

"Don't lie!" Loz's voice bellowed. It sounded strained; it was well known that Yazoo and Loz were very close.

"I'm not lying," Cloud wheezed. He knew that the kick had bruised him heavily on his spine. "Yazoo was killed by me and then we burnt the body. He was a traitor to House Strife. Just like all of you are!"

"Oh how little you know," Sephiroth smirked. Kadaj used his blade to lift Cloud's face to look into the serpentine eyes of the elder Jenova. "All you had to do was either die or follow orders like a good little puppet, but you somehow manage to defy both options."

"I never did respond well to orders anyway." He was given another sharp kick to his back when he felt Kadaj's sword pull away for a moment. The edge of the blade found itself tickling the nape of Cloud's neck, nearly stroking the blond hairs that fell from the nape.

"I'm in two minds whether to kill you or not," Sephiroth smirked, pulling Cloud's head up by the hair, seeing the blond's face wince in pain. "But seeing as you so kindly let yourself into my residence without so much as an invitation, I think I could find a use for you."

Cloud glared at him, hearing the sound of something being taken out of a box that was kept to one corner of the tent. It had been rumoured that Sephiroth had kept tools of torture with him close to hand. He never thought they were true though. He heard a crack against the ground.

"Now," Sephiroth breathed, taking the whip from his younger brother's hand; Loz turned his head away, looking increasingly uncomfortable; Kadaj looked like he could dance a merry jig at any moment. "Let's see how well you sing."

* * *

Leon was surprised to wake up alone that morning, having known Cloud for being a deep sleeper. It made him wonder if the blond had been restless the previous night; after all, he was being persistent about going outside the walls. He prayed that Cloud wasn't as stupid as that to just blatantly disregard his wishes and try to assassinate the Jenovas anyway.

But this was Cloud, and the blond had a tendency to do stupid things. So as far as the brunet was concerned, Cloud was outside Hollow Bastion until proven otherwise.

And that was why he was here, walking along the cobbled streets of the citadel's town. He had hoped that maybe he would see a shock of blond, but Cloud had been determined to conceal his own identity despite his appeals to coming along against the king's wishes. As of yet, among all the bowing armoured heads, he didn't even see a familiar black figure. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Where the hell are you...?"

"My liege!" He turned, seeing Zexion rushing over to him. He had the look of someone who had just been given the worst news possible.

"What is it?"

"We received word this morning from the enemy camp!" Zexion wheezed as he halted suddenly in front of the king, body bowing over.

"What? How?"

"An arrow struck one of our men dead. It had a message attached." Zexion gasped for air, looking up at him at that point. "It said that they have something important to you."

"Important..." His eyes widened. "They don't mean..."

"Has anything or anyone gone missing?! Anything that seemed out of place?!"

"...Cloud..."

"What?!"

Leon looked up at the battlements, eyes wide in shock. "He really did...ignore me..." His hand curled up into a fist. "What else did it say?"

"We are to have a small 'talk' come noon," Zexion reported. "It sounds like Sephiroth wants to do a deal with us."

"And they're using Cloud as the hostage."

"So it seems."

The words that left Leon's mouth surprised Zexion beyond words, mostly for the ambiguity of what he could have really meant: "I am going to kill him."

* * *

Cloud's eyes struggled to open when he finally came around. His body stung, dried warm blood mixing with cool air. The night before had been a torturous affair, but he really only had himself to blame. He had been careless, a sin he could admit to. But at least, he had thought, he had done the right thing and kept his silence...

"_Stubborn oaf," Kadaj muttered, cracking the whip again with gusto. Cloud cringed, hands curled up into fists again, pulling at the ropes that kept him tied to two vertical wooden beams. The fabric that had once covered his body was torn, blood disappearing into its pitch black dye. He tasted the dusty metallic in his mouth; at some point, he had bitten his tongue to prevent himself from screaming out Hollow Bastion's weak points. He felt his face being forced up, looking into the eyes of the serpent he had grown to hate so much._

"_Tell me Cloud, what do you profit from keeping silent? Your suffering will end much more swiftly if you speak now," Sephiroth purred._

"_...I won't betray him..."_

"_Oh? The man that treated you like a toy for the best of a year? You suddenly become fond of him?"_

"_No. Not just Leon." Cloud pulled his head away, looking towards the tent's fabric walls. "I won't betray any of them." He meant what he said. There was no way in hell he would allow Sephiroth to get within a hair's breadth of Roxas, but nor would he want Axel, or Zexion, or Sora and Riku, and certainly not any of the friends he made among the servants (especially not Tifa). As for Leon, he had come to realise that if he had to spend the rest of his life chained to someone, he would rather it be the scarred warrior king than Sephiroth. "You can't make me talk."_

"_We'll see about that!" Kadaj hissed, slapping the skin of the whip against Cloud's already broken and bloody body..._

At least, he had assured himself, he had kept his silence on Hollow Bastion, mentally thanking that he had been so used to being tortured, though not in the same way as Sephiroth's methods. No...compared to Leon's earlier methods, Sephiroth's whip seemed tame. He struggled to sit up, realising the fact that his feet were tied together, as were his hands.

If he was still alive now, that only meant that they were probably planning on using him as a hostage later. This knowledge in hand, Cloud tried to move into a more comfortable position. He wasn't dumb enough to not realise that trying to escape without full use of his limbs was foolhardy, but he wasn't particularly overjoyed with the fact that the only way out of this mess was going to put his old home at risk.

Unless...

His eyes searched around, trying to find some sort of weapon. He could try to cut himself out of these bonds, or, if it seemed the only way, take his own life. Hopefully though, it wouldn't come to him having to take the latter path. He finally espied the object; one of those ceremonial daggers that all the older Jenova's carried. It seemed like the perfect candidate, with exception to the fact that it was the furthest away from him. No matter.

Using his legs as a means of pulling himself, he inched across the floor, determination setting in. He had a place to get back to. Sitting around wasn't going to get him anywhere, and there was no point in waiting around for someone to come rescue him. Things like knights harkening to the "damsel's" rescue were a thing of legend. Suddenly, his face was meeting the ground.

"Trying to crawl your way to freedom, _Prince_?" Kadaj's hateful voice sniggered. Cloud glared at the eldest of the triplets, his blue eyes flaring with the same hatred that was in Kadaj's.

"Kicking a man when he's unable to fend for himself only consolidates your cowardice."

"What was that?!" Kadaj snapped, his foot instantly connecting with Cloud's ribcage. The blond let out a pained gasp, bending over to protect himself in vain hope. "You should be grateful dear brother graciously gave you your life. After all, you're a useless lump of flesh when it comes down to it. The only saving graces you possess is that you can wield a sword well and the beauty you inherited from your mother." Another kick, only this time it was straight into the blond's spine. "You have no other redeeming quality!"

"Hey, Kadaj," Loz's voice rang in Cloud's ears. When he looked up, he saw the giant standing tall at the entrance. His face was grim, something that didn't really suit the youngest triplet somehow. "Brother's been asking for him. He has to make his appearance at this talk."

"I'm just making sure he looks presentable. After all, he has to win back that bastard's heart once more." He gave Cloud another good kick, this time to his mouth, causing the blond to bite the inside of his mouth and draw blood. "There. Now his lips are rouged up. Maybe I should make his eyes look prettier. I heard shades of grey are popular with Archadian ladies." Kadaj lifted a fist, grabbing Cloud by the neck. The blond screwed his eyes shut, waiting for the punch to land. It never came. He dared to open an eye. Loz's hand was holding Kadaj's fist in suspense, looking at his older brother with a blank expression.

"That's enough. Don't try to kill him." Kadaj snarled, snapping his hand away and dropping Cloud like a ragdoll. The blond just about cried out in anguish at all the pain his body was feeling.

"Fine," Kadaj stated monotonously. "Tell Brother that I'm not showing my face to those scumbags in Hollow Bastion. My handiwork should speak for me instead."

* * *

Leon's hands were curled into tight fists as he walked along the battlements, feeling them shake a little in pent up rage at both enemy and concubine. How could Cloud just disregard what he had to say about this? Just what was Cloud thinking? Was targeting Sephiroth an act of vengeance now that the blond knew the truth? Or was it a means of protecting everyone on the inside of the citadel? He didn't know; he could never quite tell what Cloud was thinking. No...he never could tell what the blond was thinking. He could only guess and speculate; he could never be accurate.

Zexion looked at him in worry. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"This isn't for him or for me," Leon said with steely resolution. "If I don't get Cloud back, Roxas will never forgive me. Nor will anyone else who has become close to him."

"Please be aware that you can't decide by your emotions or what others will think," Zexion reminded him, though his voice sounded strain. "Sometimes...a leader has to make cruel choices in order to do what's best for his people."

"Don't think I don't know that," Leon sighed, looking over the wall and seeing what seemed like miles upon miles of muddy coloured tents, all traces of green grass lost among a sea of gleaming white and silver armour and weaponry. In vain hope he tried to pinpoint a head of spiky blond hair, or a garb of black. None revealed itself to him.

"Leon!" The king looked up, blinking as he saw Sora running over to him, a fully recovered Riku and Roxas struggling to catch up. He frowned.

"What are you three doing here?"

"Is it true?!" Roxas quipped, completely cutting across Sora who was about to answer his older brother. "Was Cloud really captured?!"

"That's none of your concern. You three shouldn't be here."

"But Leon," Sora tried to appeal to the elder Leonhart. His plea was cut across by an outraged rant from Roxas.

"How can you say this doesn't concern me?! Cloud's my brother!"

A sharp slap of a leather glove against soft fleshy skin rang out in the air. "Know your place boy!"

"Leon!" Sora shrilled in surprise. Riku's face shifted into one of shock, never having seen anyone lay a hand with intended harm on Roxas before. Zexion was resolutely blank, understanding why it had come about.

"All three of you are putting yourselves in danger by coming here!" Leon roared, that legendary temper coming back after months of seemingly being quelled. "Do you think Cloud would be happy if you got killed just because you were at the wrong place at the wrong time?!"

"I have every right to know where my brother is!" The fact that Roxas was not even allowing the mere fact that he had effectively been put in his place startled Leon, immediately recognising that same fiery pride that Cloud owned.

"Roxas...just get away from here," Leon growled, not willing to show a divided front to the enemy. "Don't argue about it."

"But Leon-!" Roxas stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, looking over it. "Riku? You're not going to take his side are you?!"

"I'm afraid I have to," Riku whispered. "He is right; being here could put you at risk. You promised Sir Axel that you wouldn't do anything that would compromise your safety."

"But-"

"Roxas, just concede to this argument for now," Zexion soothed, placing himself in front of the two arguing leaders. "The king will do his best to free your brother, but petty squabbles will not bring him back. For now, just make yourself scarce." He then looked at Sora pointedly. "That goes for you as well, my prince."

"But-" Sora tried to protest.

"No 'ands', 'ifs' or 'buts' about it," Zexion stated firmly. "Think of your position as an heir to Radiant Garden, and Roxas, you're the Prince of Hollow Bastion. Please consider the consequences if you were to come to harm."

Sora sighed, defeated. Roxas just glared at Leon before storming off, clearly displeased with all this. "H-Hey! Roxas!" Sora turned, but before following he looked over his shoulder. "Leon...I know that you didn't really mean to hurt Roxas like that but...but that was way too much!"

Leon didn't respond, not sure how to react to his brother anyway after that display. Sora ran off, Riku just a bit ahead of him in order to catch up to Roxas. Zexion looked over to the king, looking at him with a pensive face. "Axel will see that mark on the young prince's face. He will ask questions."

"...I'll just have to hope that Axel understands what forced my hand. We are against the Jenovas...if one of them were to see him, I have no doubts that they would have struck him down with an arrow at the very least."

"So, in a very perverse form, you were trying to protect him."

"In a sense, yes, and if anything were to happen to me, Cloud would never forgive me." Zexion chuckled lightly at that, much to the king's bemusement. "What?"

"It's as if Cloud's opinion of you is the only one that matters to you," Zexion observed. "It's actually quite charming."

"Don't read into it so much," Leon said quickly, unwilling to believe that Zexion's remark was correct. "Roxas is just a very important leading role that I need to protect who also happens to be related to my concubine."

"So it would seem." Zexion had an erudite grin on his face.

"Enough with the all-knowing smirk," Leon frowned.

"My apologies, my liege." Leon knew Zexion didn't truly mean it. He then noticed that Zexion's expression had changed into a look mixed with shock and a little bit of rare anger. "...Leon, your concubine is being forcibly dragged to the front by Sephiroth..."

"What?!" He turned swiftly.

It was not a sight he wanted to see.

* * *

Cloud felt himself get tossed to the ground, landing heavily on his ribcage. His hands still struggled against the bonds that kept him tightly bound, but he was more determined than ever to escape now that the walls of the citadel were so close. He felt a crushing foot placed on his neck, threatening to press down heavily and kill him if he dared to move.

"Don't move," Loz ordered. "I'll crush your neck if you try anything."

Cloud went still, his hands tightening up into balled fists, hating the feeling of being powerless once again. He saw Sephiroth's boots standing right beside him, nearly flinching when the blade of his long exotic sword pierced the earth a hair's breadth away from his nose. "I seek an audience with your lord!" Sephiroth demanded, his voice eerily calm and controlled.

"Then speak!" Leon's voice called back. "What is it that you want from us?"

"As I'm sure you can see, we happen to have a rather important captive in our hands." The foot as removed and Cloud was lifted up by his hair, his face contorting in pain as his eyes struggled to focus on the walls. Leon seemed so far away and so blurry...but he could vaguely make out who was there. Leon, Zexion and that shock of blurry red that had just appeared had to be Axel. And then there was also a giant and a few others as well, though he couldn't make out who they were (with exception to the giant blur, as there was only one person of that build he knew of). "If you want him back alive, I suggest you either surrender Hollow Bastion or surrender yourself."

And Cloud knew that, whatever choice that was made, at least one person would be killed. He couldn't live with the knowledge that he could be the cause of such tragedy. "Forget about me Leon! Just keep fighting th-!"

"Shut up!" Loz yelled, stamping on the back of Cloud's knees. The blond gave out an anguished cry of pain.

"Might I inform you that if you choose neither of my generous offers, this concubine will die right in front of your eyes," Sephiroth enlightened the opposing side. "Of course, if he doesn't mean anything to you, I can just put him out of his misery now if you would like."

Leon seemed resolutely silent; Cloud knew that this was his death sentence. They might trust each other, but Cloud was so sure that if Leon ever let his heart rule over his decision on this matter, he would choose the blond over his own people. He could never forgive him for that. Sephiroth sighed in mock-despair. "I see. If that is your answer then..." He raised his blade, getting ready to thrust the sword deep into the former prince's chest.

"Wait!" Cloud's eyes shot open at the sound of Leon's voice, looking right past Sephiroth's shoulder in shock. No...he wouldn't! "If I come out here alone, you'll release Cloud, correct?" The blond could have screamed at the scarred king for that. Sephiroth turned, silvery hair whipping against Cloud's face.

"So you choose to surrender yourself. Interesting."

"I'll come, but I will not go down without a fight." There was a soft thud against the ground a few feet away from Sephiroth. "I trust you will not reject my challenge?"

"A duel? How...chivalrous. I never would have expected it from a bunch of barbarians like you."

"You'll find that we barbarians are full of surprises. Just do me the common courtesy of keeping to your word. I'm coming alone; in return, Cloud goes free."

"Agreed. State the time and the place."

"Tomorrow noon, in front of the Gate of Triumph. Don't keep me waiting."

"And the same goes to you, _highness_."

"Leon! Stop this! It doesn't matter if I live or die any-" Cloud stopped when he felt the sharp side of Sephiroth's sword against his neck.

"Take delight in the fact that your master wants you to live, Cloud. He could have just as easily forsaken you."

Cloud didn't; he just looked up at the figure that he knew was Leon, watching it retreat to behind the walls. Why...why was Leon willing to throw his life away...just to save him?

* * *

They were avoiding him; that much he could tell as he walked past all the men, ignoring their solemn, stark stares. He cared not anymore; he made his choice, and he was going to stick to it. He felt a hand grab his shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Axel yelled at him. "Do you want to get killed?!"

"This isn't the time Axel."

"Don't tell me if it isn't the time or not!" Axel bellowed, forgetting himself for a moment in front of all these men that stood before them, ignoring the warlords that were running to catch up with their king with their own questions to ask. "You've just given yourself a death sentence just then! All because that concubine-"

"Do not forget the fact that 'that concubine' is also the brother of the one you swore to protect," Leon reminded him, shrugging the hand off his shoulder. "And he is also under my care. I made a vow that if I can save one person who lives in my kingdom from any danger that the world poses, then I would do whatever it takes, even sacrificing my own life, to make sure that they live."

"But why for him?! Why not for anyone else?! Why would you sacrifice yourself to save someone that you would have gladly killed a year ago when he had no more use for you?!"

"...Axel, I envy you."

"What...?"

"This isn't the place to say this, but you have someone that you hold very dear to you. Someone who is not your wife." Axel flinched at that, his hands shaking slightly. He quickly curled them up into fists to still them. "You have always been open about your feelings, so it must have been painful for you to not express them in front of anyone other than that person. And yet, you can still be so obvious about how much they mean to you even when you desperately try to hide it. You really treasure them." Leon turned, a strange look on his face. For one that had such a marring scar on his face, it seemed...softer, gentler but it also seemed forlorn. "I wish I had that same courage to say what I really want to say. But I guess I never will."

"...Leon..."

"Axel, don't ever let go of that person. Don't make the same mistakes I did." He started walking away. Axel just watched him leave, feeling his knees go weak as it slowly dawned on him that Leon knew the true nature of his and Roxas' relationship...and he began to understand why Leon was willing to give his life just to save Cloud.

Leon would never say, and he would never admit it to Cloud, but Axel could now tell...that the king that had seemed so stoic and emotionless had now...

...fallen in love.

"My liege, wait!" Zexion yelled. He ran into Axel's arm that was suddenly raised; the redhead's other arm stopped Xigbar who had witnessed the exchange between the two opposing leaders. Xaldin was a little bit behind them with Lexaeus.

"Hey, why'd you stop?" Xigbar asked.

"Leave him...we have to respect his choice..."

"Don't tell me you're actually going to go through with this?!" Xaldin demanded.

"Axel...we need to stop him," Zexion responded. "To let him go to Sephiroth is like to send a lamb to the wolves."

"...As his knight, I know that and believe me, I'm not happy." He pulled away, trying to keep his face hidden. "But as his friend...his close friend...I have to respect his decision. If I try to stop him, he won't forgive me...and I might never forgive myself."

A little further away, three youths watched as the king disappeared into the castle's keep, where servants would later report they saw him disappear into the catacombs underneath. The gravity of the situation had finally settled within all their minds. This was no longer about winning or losing or about right and wrong.

The outcome of tomorrow's battle would be what directed the course of the fate of everyone involved, and the world outside of it.

This was the true meaning of the word 'kismet'.


	50. Death

**A/N:** Oh dear god...how did I manage to write this?! This is the chapter that was giving me nightmares! I spent the rest of New Year's Eve and the early hours of New Year's Day finishing this up; and I'm so tired now -yawn- Think a Friday nap is in order.

Anyways! News! It's the PENULTIMATE CHAPTER! Wooo-wee, has it really been nearly two years since this little darling got off the ground? Am I actually going to FINISH a Kingdom Hearts fanfiction for the first time in my writing career (which is NOT a oneshot)?! Holy Joe...there is a god! So, to celebrate, with any luck I'll get the final chapter done and posted by HUS's second birthday (the 12th of this month) and I have a poll running on my profile page, concerning what to do after this (basically, I'm giving you, the readers, the power to decide on whether you want another historical fantasy or a futuristic fantasy out of me).

In other news; anyone thinking that Birth by Sleep is starting to look like the younger Nobodies elementary/middle school photo album? If you've seen the pictures of Ienzo, Lea and (SPOILER)Isa(ENDSPOILER), my initial question of whether Nobodies age or not seems to have been answered. They do. Axel is officially about ten to eleven years older than Roxas (making him 25 to 26 in KH2 (since I'm not quite sure what the timeline in Birth by Sleep is like)). Mmmmmm, anyone big fans of age gaps? I know I am (so says the fan of Junjou Romantica and bloomin' brilliant Usagi-san). Makes you wonder if the complete beings of Dem, Lux, Larx and Marmar are gonna show up in the game now though. I want to know if Dem's real name is Edym or Myde or Yedm or Meyd or some other anagram! (I also have a curious hunger for knowledge on whether Larxene's real name is Arlene or not. If it is, that's probably the most normal sounding name of the lot!). Anyone being a total impatient soul and watching the Japanese playthroughs of FF13? -raises hand guiltily- I'm afraid I have no sense of patience (though I promised myself that I would not spoil myself with Birth by Sleep).

OK, enough of my chattering. Thank you to everyone who had read and/or reviewed the last chapter! Some of the comments that I received were absolutely lovely! Please read, enjoy and review! For reviews are my Quality Street Chocolates!

* * *

**Death**. The final journey that every life must take when the great Hyne decided that the time had come. For some, there was no preparation for it. For others, there was.

Leon was training heavily in the quiet catacombs of Hollow Bastion Keep, the light of the sacred pool illuminating the dark space, his strange blade glittering and flashing as he swung it with deadly precision in the air. When he would go to meet Sephiroth, he knew that there was a high chance of him meeting Hyne's angels, but this was all for Cloud; for the person he treasured. If Cloud lived, it would be all the inspiration needed for Roxas and everyone else needed to fight on and win.

If Cloud died now, Leon knew a part of him would die along with him, a part of him he had long thought already dead. He couldn't risk that, knowing that he could become a burden on the people he had sworn to protect and lead. He really was...better off dead.

* * *

Morning finally came after a restless night. Roxas had found himself walking around like a ghost, unable to shake off the anger and the despair he felt at knowing that the king was going to sacrifice himself to save Cloud. Why was he willingly allowing himself to be put into a dangerous position? It then got him thinking, if it was him that had been captured and not Cloud, would Axel do the same thing for him, even though he had a family and a future ahead of him?

Roxas realised that Axel could and would do the exact same thing.

Sitting in the great hall where all those of high rank had gathered, Roxas waited patiently for Leon to emerge from the catacombs, sadly noting the king's armour that was being held by servants that had been trained to fight. This stark quietness was all too familiar to him. It was this same quietness that had greeted the court when his father was decked in his warrior garbs, back when he was just a small boy. It was normal though, when his father appeared, for the hall to burst out into bouts of bragging and joking and betting between soldiers, warriors and lords alike.

When Leon finally came out of the catacombs, it was deadly silent. There were no jokes, no brags, no gambles, nothing, not even an encouraging sound. It unnerved Roxas, making him back up a little against the wall.

He watched as the brunet's armour was pieced together on his body, each leather piece with metal plating hiding one more part of his humanity. The king seemed humble, his eyes closed, his lips moving slightly, uttering some wordless prayer or mantra. A small group of foot soldiers that were to accompany him to the Gate of Triumph, armed to the teeth with leather armour, chainmail, spears and glaives, tapped the butt of their weapons against the stone floor a steady war beat. Roxas looked over to Sora who was next to him; the young heir to Radiant Garden's throne was deathly pale.

"Why...are they doing that?"

"...It's a send off. They're showing their support for Leon. And...they're warning him that he has to keep his guard up." The brunet boy's voice sounded choked; he was scared. "I hate hearing this..."

"You heard this before?"

"Back when I was little, when Leon first went off to war," Sora murmured. "I...I was only twelve at the time. Back then...Leon and Edea were my whole world. I can't imagine a life without either of them."

"But what about Zexion? And Axel? They must've had a large impact on your life too."

"Not really. Zexion was just Leon's aide, still training up to be an advisor. And Axel was only recently knighted back then. When he was a squire, I rarely saw him outside of watching him and Leon train together. It's much the same with Zexion really; he enjoyed watching him and Axel duel."

Roxas went silent again, now watching Axel approach the scarred one. He strained to hear what was being said between king and knight, leaning forward slightly to help him hear better.

"You can't go out there alone," Axel declared, looking like a man who had made a decision. That decision being that he was not going to let his king go alone despite what had been said the day before. "I won't let you."

"If you come along, they might not release Cloud," Leon retorted, lifting an arm up to allow a servant to fasten his scabbard and belt back onto his form.

"He's just a concubine! You'll risk your life and thousands of others just to save one person?!"

"If it were possible, I'd rather like to save all thousands and one lives." Leon's voice was calm, almost cold. "But, I know that I value the life of a subject, and the life of person who lives under my roof far more than my own." Axel's hand curled up into a tight shaking fist while Leon continued. "And besides...Cloud is Roxas' brother. I have a moral obligation to Prince Roxas on that basis alone."

"And what gives you that idea?" Axel questioned angrily.

"I have a brother too. And he's the only family I have left. Me and Roxas...we're the same." He didn't bat an eyelid when the lion skin that he wore in battle and on ceremony was placed around his shoulders. "I'm not going to deny one person his remaining family."

Axel faltered at that, looking down at the ground. "But what about Sora? And everyone else?"

"It can't be helped," Leon very weakly smiled. "Besides, if the worst should happen, Sora will probably do a better job than I ever could."

"Don't say that! It's like...it's like..."

"I'm prepared to die if that's what's in store for me. You should be prepared to carry on without me if that's what happens."

"...you're acting just like Reno..."

"Axel?"

"What is with you two?!" Axel erupted, letting loose his angers and frustrations at the situation that was all too familiar to him. "Both of you thinking you can do whatever you like...thinking that it doesn't matter what happens to you as long as you do what you think needs doing...don't you even care about what the consequences are for everyone else?!"

"I'm not Reno," Leon said firmly. "Don't drag up an event that has no bearing on what happens today."

"You know, I have nothing but respect for you, _my liege_," Axel growled. "But you can be a real cold-hearted bastard sometimes!" That was when a large _wallop_ echoed in the still cavernous great hall, shocking all who stood there. Leon's hand had been raised, contorted into a tight, leather-bound fist. Axel just stood there, his green eyes blinking in astonishment while a bruise began to form on his bony cheek.

"That," Leon began, "was a reminder of your vow to me."

Roxas couldn't quite believe it, unsure of whether to go over to Axel or not, but Sora's hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Leave him Roxas. Leon isn't in the wrong this time."

"How can you say that?"

"Because it's our tradition in the moors. Knights are punched in the face when they pledge their allegiances or are knighted." Sora then grinned. "You Hollow Bastionites really are more civilised then we Radiant Gardenians."

They watched as Leon walked straight past Axel, his eyes glaring at anyone who wanted to test their luck at trying to dissuade him from his choice. No one dared to come close. "I'll be leaving now. All those who are accompanying me to the gate, assemble now. Xigbar, you're in charge of the wall defences. See to it that if any man on the enemy lines keeps out of my duel with Sephiroth. Xaldin, Lexaeus, prepare to charge out if needs be. Vexen, continue your work in the sickbay. Saix, make sure that the keep is fortified. If the walls fall, the keep will be our last line of defence."

Zexion came over to him; everyone was expecting the smaller man to be hit if he was trying to change their king's mind. "What can I do to help?" Zexion asked.

"Make sure that the two princes stay safe with Axel. I entrust their lives to you."

"Understood, my liege," Zexion nodded, putting a hand on his arm. "Good luck. May Hyne smile upon you."

"Hyne has no power over what happens today," Leon murmured, walking straight past Zexion.

* * *

Cloud hadn't been able to sleep easy during his night on the floor, his psyche having been plagued and wreaked by worries and concerns about what the following day might bring. The thought that Leon was sacrificing himself to save him weighed heavily on his mind, making the usually prideful and determined blond quiet and unsure of himself. Could he really continue living on with the guilt of Leon's possible death? He knew if that did happen he would be the one to get the blame for Radiant Garden's loss.

Call him a coward, but that was one burden he was not willing to carry.

He struggled against the rope that bound his hands together, wiggling his wrists in a bid to get himself free. There was no way he was going to let Leon fight Sephiroth alone.

"What are you doing?" Loz asked, having been watching Cloud wriggle and struggle all morning. Sephiroth had been training since the early hours of the evening; Kadaj had had his fun with Cloud the night before and was now whipping the troops into shape.

"What does it look like to you?!" Cloud snapped, having gotten onto his back in an attempt to see if he could wear down his bonds on the earthen floor. "Either you help, taunt or get out! Don't try to act innocent in all this!"

Loz looked at him, a pensive look on his face. The blond had never realised the inner toils the youngest of the Jenova triplets had been through since the news of Yazoo's death at the hands of the youngest Jenova. With a great sigh, he stood up, dropping down his ornamental dagger on the ground a little bit away from the captive concubine. "Do what you wish with it. I don't want anything more to do with this."

"Loz..." Cloud blinked, surprised by this turn of good fortune.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm hoping you'll do everyone a favour and kill yourself, but I don't want a part in this madness anymore. Mother's hopes are being completely blown out of proportion by Sephiroth. I...I kind of wish that she was here now to talk some sense into him."

"...Wait a moment...your mother...Lady Jenova...she had no part in that plot all those years ago, did she?"

"...She was just an innocent woman trying to protect that odious man that she called husband. Jenova was just a name she earned from a previous marriage." There seemed to be a sound unexpected coming from the giant.

"Loz...are you crying?"

"I am not crying!" Loz yelled. "Hope you stab yourself!" He stormed out. Cloud however, found himself to be smiling. Loz, for all his acting tough, really was just the same cry-baby everyone used to call him.

"Thank you Loz," Cloud whispered quietly. He turned himself over onto his stomach and started inching over to the blade. Now he could escape at last.

* * *

Leon was surprised to hear the sound of cantering hooves behind him as he -atop Griever and surrounded by a guard of a score of men- rode closer towards the Gate of Triumph. His head turned, eyes widening in surprise when he saw it was Axel and Zexion, both of them riding Axel's bay horse Flame. It harkened back to their youth, when Zexion was clinging onto Axel for dear life the first time they ever went riding together as a trio.

"What are you two doing here? Didn't I tell you to protect Roxas and Sora?"

"Slight change in plans, my liege," Axel grinned. "Like I said, I'm not gonna just stand and watch you go out there alone. And neither is Zexion."

"My liege, I'm afraid that my arm was twisted both by this idiot here and by my own conscious," Zexion sighed.

"Hey, 'this idiot' kindly allowed you to hitch a ride. He can easily shove you off," Axel snapped.

"Oh and I suppose you would want me to bare all to the world the secret you have?"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Call it revenge for the exact same situation years ago!"

They were brought out of their escalating argument by an unforeseen sound. They turned with dumb expressions; Leon was laughing hard. Even the guards were startled by this sudden change of demeanour.

"...Leon?" Zexion ventured.

"How long has it been?" Leon asked, his laughter starting to die down. "I don't think I've laughed like that for a long time now..."

"Try ever," Axel said. "The entire time I've known you, you would only allow a dry chuckle to express your amusement."

"Yes, it really has been that long," Leon nodded. "Thank you. Both of you. Seeing you guys argue like that again really brought back good memories of us growing up together."

Zexion remained mute, looking away slightly. Axel spoke for them both. "Hey, you better come back alive, you hear? If you don't, I'll just have to drag you back from Paradise."

"Surely you mean Hell?

"Why Hell? Sure, you've done some questionable things, but your intentions have always been good."

"I have to agree with Axel. Your good points far outweigh your bad ones. And no deed you have done has been without good reason. You have been a good leader. And I hope that you will continue to be a good one after all this is done and Cloud is back with us."

Leon looked at them both, his eyes darting from one face to the other. He then looked away, hoping that he was hiding how moved he was by their loyalty well. "You two really would follow me to the ends of the earth..."

"Of course. That punch reminded me the reason why I'm even here." Axel's hand reached over, heavily grasping Leon's fur-covered shoulder.

"I've said it before, but I owe you my life." Zexion nodded his head. "We won't give up hope that you will survive, so you better not die. Cloud's waiting for you."

Leon nodded his head, looking at them both with one of his most genuine smiles that they had ever seen. "Axel, Zexion...Thank you. For standing by me."

"Well now, before we get all mushy here, little Zexy's gotta get off Flame now."

"I thought I told you not to use that nickname years ago!" Zexion scowled.

"Hey come on, let's do a bit of past reliving," Axel grinned. The brunet knew that the redhead was only doing this to make what might be his last moments with friends enjoyable. He appreciated the gesture. Zexion slid down, looking at the two warriors that he had grown up with since they were small children, vivid memories of how they all met appearing before him.

"My liege, Axel, please stay safe. I'll help keep watch on the enemy with everyone else."

"You too Zexion," Leon stated. "Goodbye then." He urged Griever on, watching the great doors open before him. Axel rode alongside him, his grip on the reins tightening by tenfold. The king looked over to him, only being able to imagine just what was going through the knight's mind. He could tell that it had been painful for Axel to act all cheery when all he really wanted to do was scream. "Axel..."

"Yeah?"

"If the worst should happen, I want you to grab Cloud and run for it."

"What?"

"That's only thing I want you to do. Don't even try to save me."

"You can't possibly expect me to-"

"I don't expect it from you, I'm demanding it of you," Leon cut across, giving him a cold stare. "If you try to save me, I'll haunt you."

Axel looked away haughtily, struggling with the concept that he wasn't allowed to help his king if he lost the duel. Leon paid no heed to him though, his storm-coloured eyes staring straight at the form of Sephiroth of House Jenova.

* * *

"Almost...there..." Cloud squirmed as he felt his bonds starting to strain from being sawed against the cold blade of the serpent-headed dagger. He had been thanking his lucky stars that no one seemed to think the ex-prince to be capable of escape in his state as he had yet to be walked in on. Of course, this was just luck so far. Getting past guards and back to Hollow Bastion was a matter that was going to need more than just incredible good fortune.

The rope snap; he pulled his arms apart. Sweet freedom at last! But he knew that this was only the beginning of this dangerous path he had committed himself to. Taking the knife into his hands, he inched his way over to the tent's entrance, holding his breath and kneeling to the side of it when he heard the clinking of metal. A soldier burst into the tent.

"Alright, prisoner, its time for you to-" Cloud struck quickly, managing to find a gap between the helmet and the shoulder guards to stab the soldier in the neck. He pulled out just as fast, seeing the blade was now drenched in blood. The man fell, gurgling and gasping his last breath, a pool of crimson staining his once crisply white uniform. Cloud was about to take his leave...when a plan took form in his mind. He quickly went onto his knees, unbuckling the armour from the dead soldier.

"My apologies. I hope you find your rest without your armour."

* * *

The trio had barely made it in time when Leon drew out his strange blade out from its sheath and shrugged his lion skin off his shoulders, the two strangely similar boys almost leaning over the battlements that Riku was terrified that they would fall down.

"They're going to start!" Roxas cried, wishing that he had the chance to apologise to the king for all the harsh things he had said.

"This really isn't the time to start apologising to him now!" Sora yelped, feeling a hand grab him by the back of his tunic. Roxas yelped as he was pulled back too.

"There's nothing we can do now," Riku sighed, looking out to see his eldest brother draw out the long katana that seemed to be even bigger than him. He knew that on paper Sephiroth was the favourite to win, but in reality Riku was praying that Leon would somehow find a way to defeat the head of House Jenova. Otherwise everyone was doomed.

* * *

Axel felt his knees start to shake when the duellers' swords first touched each other in a salute, having figured out by now that Sephiroth was to a fault quite chivalrous when the time called for the proper etiquette. Now if only he was like that more often, this whole situation might have been avoided. Sure, Leon may have had to pay a king's ransom, but it wouldn't mean that lives were at stake.

In his mind, regardless of what the king's feelings for his concubine were, a captured prince turned concubine did not exactly warrant a risk of being killed. He only wished Leon could see it in this light too.

Now the blades began to clash against each other in disharmonious discord, metallic cries and songs whipping through the air at a speed that was almost inhuman. Axel felt his hand slide down towards one of the chakrams that hung at his side, his fingers brushing against the cold blade of one of its points. He wanted to help, and yet he found himself unable to leave his place even when it became apparent that Sephiroth had managed to nick Leon in the shoulder; blood was trickling down the brunet's arm like a stream.

So wrapped in his attention for the duel and his conflicting opinions of whether to involve himself or not, he never noticed the slinking form of Kadaj was inching his way ever closer to the combatants, watching and waiting like a viper for an opportune moment.

* * *

Yet another soldier fell to the serpent-headed blade as he questioned the blood-soaked white garbed soldier that had seemed unfamiliar. Cloud was cursing the fact that Archadians seemed to have found a means of preventing an assassin or a spy from hiding in plain sight by dressing them in pure white. It meant that more questions would be asked if he was in their range of sight, and if he even opened his mouth, they would recognise immediately that he was not one of theirs by voice and accent alone. However, there was one thing that he had noticed; there seemed to be fewer guards than usual patrolling the enemy camp. That meant that the duel was happening now. Which meant that he had to get to the gate this very instant. Fast as the heavy uniform could allow him to run, Cloud sped along to the front, knowing that he had to stop Leon from getting killed by Sephiroth.

When he heard the roars and jeers coming from the mouths of thousands of men, he knew he had found his destination. Seeing the backs of white uniformed soldiers, Cloud knew that his current hit and run tactic was not going to work here. He had to try and move forward somehow.

Taking a chance, he bent down into an opening between two particularly burly soldiers, dodging and weaving between soldiers while trying to not attract too much attention to himself as he made his way to where they were fighting.

* * *

Roxas had seen the other Jenova, watching helplessly as he saw the other bend down to pounce upon the scarred king once he had turned his back on him. He knew that he couldn't just sit there and watch it happen, but he also knew that he had no means of reaching it...unless...

He looked around quickly, hoping to find someone with a bow and quiver, or maybe just a bow with an arrow nearby. It must've been pure chance or sheer luck but a nearby guard watching the duel happened to own just the tools he needed. Grabbing them, he ignored the yelp of the guard feeling his weapon get pulled off his back as he took aim at Kadaj. Murmuring every prayer he could recite from the Church of Hyne's teachings without fault, he released the arrow, watching it fly like a swallow in the summer wind.

All was silent to him. He was deaf to the surprised yelps of his two friends next to him, ignoring the yells from Zexion as he realised what had happened. All that mattered was whether or not, for the first time in his life, if the arrow had struck right in the centre of the target for him.

If Kadaj was a target that he and Axel had used when practicing archery, Roxas would have gotten full marks; Kadaj's throat was stained scarlet.

* * *

The anguishing cry and the form of Kadaj going into a fit of spasms had come as a surprise to Axel, his attention gripped away from the duelling pair who were still in a state of stalemate. He watched with blinking eyes as the Jenova fell to the ground floundering, a surge of guards surrounding him as they tried to save the doomed man. He had a gut feeling it was already too late though. He looked back up the walls, wondering who had been so bold yet so stupid enough to pull off such a stunt. To his surprise, he saw a flash of blond hair, glaring in cold anger at the event that unfolded, hand still gripping the bow he held tightly as if he meant to break it.

A small part of his was rather sadistically pleased that he had managed to train Roxas to make the kill when it mattered, but another was shocked that Roxas had willingly allowed himself to be a harbinger of death like the rest of them. Maybe he never wanted the small blond to be tainted by war. But now it was too late.

A yelp that clearly came from their side suddenly alerted him back to the action, his hand suddenly gripping one of his chakrams as he leant forward in his seat atop of his horse.

Leon was on his knees, tired, weak and suffering some sort of pain in his side judging by the way he was clutching to it. Although told not to get involved, it was almost as if his common sense left his body and it urged itself to go forward. Maybe he had screamed when he saw Sephiroth's blade come crashing down towards the unprotected neck of the king, maybe he had Flame running forward a moment too late, but the sight he saw next would not leave his mind for many years to come.

Sephiroth's sword came crashing down upon an Archadian great sword, the blade and its white-clothed wielder protecting the winded king from death.

* * *

Leon hadn't dared to look up for what seemed like an eternity, only barely managing to gaze upwards to see an Archadian soldier protecting him with a sword that seemed even bigger than he was. He heaved a breath heavily, watching the soldier in astonishment, not sure what to think of this development.

"Oh?" Sephiroth asked, still as calm as if the duel had never happened. "A traitor among our ranks? Or maybe...a dog that had managed to escape his leash?"

"That's wolf," the soldier retorted, pushing the general away with a mighty shove. The silver-haired one hop-skipped a few steps back, giving the other time to reveal himself. The soldier's gauntlet-protected hands raised up after planting the sword into the ground, removing his helmet slowly. It was tossed to the ground, but Leon found himself mesmerised by the sight of that familiar blond hair that he had seen every day in the past year. "And I am attached to no leash," Cloud added angrily, picking up the sword again and holding his ground. Leon took this chance to regain his composure, gripping onto his own sword and forcing himself to stand, bringing the blade up to point at Sephiroth.

"So I guess you plan to fight me and the rest of this army," Sephiroth dryly stated, looking very smug with himself.

"That's the plan," Axel's voice quipped, suddenly at Leon's side and holding his chakrams tightly. He had left his horse behind, who was clearly wary for danger now that he was without a rider. Axel caught Leon's eye, nodding his head as if to let him know that he had his back. Leon nodded and then looked over to Cloud. The blond acknowledged the look, shifting his stance slightly. The brunet raised his hand slowly, signalling to all the archers to take aim...and to Zexion to ready the troops. Sephiroth moved back, letting the soldiers mesh around him so that he was lost in a sea of white and silver.

"Think you can handle this many?" Leon asked, watching as those in white began to surround them all.

"Well, might be a little difficult if one more turned up," Axel grinned, twirling one of his chakrams in between his fingers.

"Then that'll be the one I take care of," Cloud declared, his storm-grey eyes surveying the scene.

"What? You're fighting?" Leon asked.

The arrows showered upon the back rows, the doors of the bastion city opened and allowed a flood of angered leather-plated and war-painted soldiers out towards those in the white and silver uniforms. Amid the screams, the three in the middle of a sea of enemy forces jumped, bobbed and weaved in a bloody massacre through the masses. In the confusion, the three fighters lost sight of each other.

* * *

Cleaving off the arm of an enemy before stabbing him straight in the chest, Cloud, face and clothing bloodied, searched tirelessly for Leon in the mass of warring bodies. But there was no sign of him. Every time he saw a tuft of warring brown hair, he would make his way towards it, kill off the enemies that got in his way, reach his intended only to find out it wasn't the man he was looking for, get past him and then start the fruitless process again. All to be reunited with one man, and a man that only a year ago he had cursed his existence with every fibre of his body. In a moment of peace, maybe Cloud would ponder on the sheer implausibility of it, but now the taste of blood had set off the adrenaline rush gushing throughout his body.

A helmeted head went flying off as he decapitated a soldier, an angry feral roar escaping the blood-soaked blond. "I am going to drag that man out of hell if he dies on me!" He raged on, the great sword he had pilfered from the enemy ranks swinging around like the scythe of Death, somehow feeling some sort of exhilaration in this fight for survival. And yet, there was a sense of humanity holding him back from intense insanity in that he had a reason to be this frenzied.

He saw Axel for a fleeting moment, the warrior performing his dance of death, blood flying everywhere like autumn leaves as it stained the worn out leather of his armour, the pale pallor of his skin, the cruel metal of his chakrams, the fiery red strands of his hair... Truly, he made a fearsome sight, and yet there was something strangely beautiful about the way he moved so effortlessly from killing to killing.

For a small moment of slowed down time, Cloud had a vision of his once seemingly innocent brother. Although Roxas fared better in close combat, there he was upon the battlements, firing arrow after fiery oil-covered arrow at hapless victims, each arrow a flaming bird of prey whistling down upon them. An angel of death one might describe him, soiled by the toil and sweat of the strain of his own body, yet unsoiled by the blood of his enemies. Riku was there alongside him too, their own serpent friend from the Jenova viper's nest, shielding Sora from the onslaught but also helping by whatever means possible; Zexion, master of plans and instigator of punishing defence mechanisms, had plenty of vats of hot boiling oil and wax ready to hand in case any Archadian decided to try his luck at scaling Hollow Bastion's walls. Even the once frail and sickly Sora was helping in this massacre. He pulled his eyes away from the vision and moved further into the mass, in his heart knowing...

That would be the last time he would ever see his little brother.

He pressed on, finally finding the edge of the seemingly endless sea of blood, bodies and limbs of friend and foe alike. On bloodied land, his eyes witnessed a scene that seemed more at home being read from the pages of a book or recited by a bard from an epic poem.

Leon, the warrior kingly hero, was locked in mortal combat with the villain, the former general of Hollow Bastion, Sephiroth. Metal clashed against metal sonorously, blood from previous victims spraying at each other. Silver hair flowed in the strong wind like an angelic wing with each graceful step and jump the Jenova took, as if to him this was just mere sport. Leon on the other hand, although admirably holding his own, was looking far rougher; his hair was dishevelled, he was beginning to bleed heavily from more places than Cloud could count and it was clear now that Leon was on the defence rather than on the offence, not to mention wildly protecting his most serious injury: his wounded side. Cloud knew that Leon wouldn't survive alone, so he did the only thing to him that seemed logical to him now.

He jumped into the battle and stopped Sephiroth's sword from swiping down upon the king. Once more, time seemed to have stopped, though Cloud slowly felt his strength begin to tremble under the sheer power Sephiroth had behind his blade.

"Cloud...?"

"Sorry I'm late," Cloud grunted, attempting to push off Sephiroth. He barely managed it, but the silver-haired general didn't seem at all fazed by it. "But I won't let you fight him alone."

"I would've thought you'd be glad to see the back of me."

"Understand this. The only person allowed to kill you is me. If you get killed by Sephiroth, I won't forgive you." Cloud nearly yelped as he just managed to block a strike from the Jenova in the nick of time, about to push him off when Leon made a swipe at the silverhaired one. He dodged the blow beautifully.

"I'll try not to get killed then," Leon replied, nodding his head to Cloud. He then faced Sephiroth, who was starting to shift lightly. The brunet than began a charge, bellowing an animalistic battle cry as he hurtled towards Sephiroth, Cloud following his example, though slightly slower due to the weight of his weapon. Leon was the first that struck the other, followed closely by Cloud when he was parried away.

In a disharmonious symphony of metallic clashes and slashes, it seemed as though there was no way of finishing the fight. When one attacked, the other blocked. When one made to hack, the other dodged and made to stab. They never saw the thinning out of men, or the quietening of the war noise. They never noticed the destruction of all the tents, nor the change in the once pleasant summer sky. Everything seemed to be in a dark grey haze, the only colour they could see belonging to the three of them who fought for their lives. The only sound was their heavy pants, their grunts, their battle cries and the whirling of the blades, and the crashing of their collisions that sounded like thunder and lightning.

That was when Cloud and Leon had their first bit of misfortune. While dodging a swipe from the long and deadly blade of Sephiroth, Cloud lost his footing, giving the Jenova enough time to push him down after performing a powerful parry to force the scarred king to back step away a fair distance. Now on the floor and weapon out of his hand, Cloud found himself trying to pick himself up only to be frozen in horror when he saw Sephiroth make to plunge his sword into his battered and bloodied body. He closed his eyes, praying that it would be a painless death.

Death did not come. Instead, a sickening squelch and injured growl echoed in his ears. He dared to open his eyes, nearly screaming at the sight.

Leon was standing in front of him but he looked so limp, as if he weren't standing alone. He knew why. Sephiroth's sword had cleanly stabbed straight through the scarred brunet's abdomen. In a short moment, Cloud didn't even know whether the body was dead or alive!

Sephiroth only smirked coldly. "Foolish boy..." Unceremoniously, he shook the body off, watching the king fall to the ground, unfazed entirely. Cloud could only look, his mouth going slack.

The king's exotic blade fell to the ground with a clatter.

Leon's eyes were closed, and a small trail of blood was trickling from his now deathly pale mouth, contrasting with his skin. His body was soaked in both wet and dried blood, both his own and his enemies; even the symbol of his kingship, the lion-headed cross, was tainted by the scarlet liquid of life. He seemed to be breathing, but it was slow and laboured. Leon...no, Squall, was dying right in front of his very eyes. "You...you killed him..."

"It's the way of the battlefield," Sephiroth remarked, slowly stepping behind him. Cloud felt his hand slowly clasp Leon's dead and cold one, feeling an uneasy emotion that made him wish his chest could just explode in order to end the agony. Was this what they called...heartbroken? "But don't worry," Sephiroth's silky voice whispered. "You'll be joining him soon enough." Cloud finally noticed the slight shadow looming over them, realising what the other was planning to do.

An almighty crash filled the air, a bright light illuminating the world, blood, corpses and all. Most importantly though, it revealed one saving mercy from the almighty Hyne.

King Squall's blade had protected Cloud from being killed. In the moment he had realised Sephiroth's intention, he had grabbed the exotic blade and blocked the killing blow despite crouching over Leon's body. "You made a very severe mistake," Cloud growled, his voice going an octave deeper in his uncontrollable rage.

Sephiroth jumped back, looking at the blond with –for the first time– a look that was part shock, part unease and part frustrated. Cloud stood, holding the sword in a warrior's salute, an expression that could epitomise the true meaning of "murderous intentions" upon his face. "There is only one person who was allowed to kill Leon. And that was not you. And now, there is one person in the world that is allowed to kill you." Cloud's blue eyes flashed eerily. "That person...is me!" He lunged forward, but Sephiroth was prepared. However, he wasn't prepared for the sheer ferocity of the attacks that followed.

Cloud fought like a man possessed, no skill behind his sword but pure and unbridled rage. They say that that day, the mythical demon Fenrir had truly possessed the man that had been come to be known by that name in the court of the Radiant Garden Empire, just like the demon had come to protect his friend from the wrath of Odin in those bygone days of lore. And maybe it had. But Cloud felt no presence of some ethereal force. He felt exhaustion creeping upon him, but his own stubbornness and determination refused to be defeated by a mere trifle such as that. It did, however, slow him down considerably. It had been a long time since Cloud had wielded any blade, so the fact that he had seemed to be keeping Sephiroth away for the most part had been a small miracle in itself. A miracle that would all too soon be stopped.

In a moment of carelessness, Cloud made to slash at the silver-haired general with a well-earned downward slash, but Sephiroth had been predicted the attempt, easily dodging the attack. In one swift movement, Sephiroth's blade moved like lightning straight towards his now unprotected stomach. Cloud gasped, feeling a searing pain that seemed to be put Leon's early torture methods in the shade.

He knew for certain that he had met the same fate as Leon. A sword straight through his body.

"'Tis a shame," Sephiroth smirked smugly, looking at the seemingly lifeless form of his 'puppet'. "You would have made an excellent puppet king for me. But I guess you had outgrown your use." Sephiroth hadn't noticed that Cloud's free hand had gripped his blade tightly. Cloud ignored the pain, slowly letting his gauntlet covered hand pull himself along the blade.

"'Tis a shame," Cloud copied, his voice sounding almost maniacal. He looked up with an evil grin, watching Sephiroth's face contort with horror. "You underestimated me."

Sephiroth was quick to let go of the sword but Cloud had been far quicker, swiping straight for the other's neck with Leon's sword.

The body fell. The head rolled off a little further away, silver hair becoming stained by a river of blood gushing out from it. The saying "cut the head off the snake and the rest of the body dies" seemed incredibly appropriate.

* * *

Leon just about came around for a small moment when he felt the first raindrop of the storm strike his forehead, followed by three more after that. His eyes opened; though bleary, he could see the sky had gone grey. It was deadly silent now.

Someone's knees hit the ground, followed by his hands, panting heavily and coughing up blood. He barely made out whose face it was. "...Cloud?" Leon croaked weakly.

"How on earth did you manage to live?" Cloud coughed, falling onto his side. Leon noticed the sword sticking out from the other's stomach.

"Don't...know," Leon panted, taking a heavy deep breath. "Don't...think...it'll be...long..."

"Don't die on me." Cloud curled up slightly. "Or at least... don't...die before me." Leon struggled to lift a hand up, wanting to just touch Cloud for one last time. The blond noticed the movement, slowly letting his hand slide over to Leon's. Although hesitant at first, Leon gripped onto the other's hand tightly.

"It's going...to be slow...and painful," Leon muttered. "...would you rather...put me out...of my misery?"

"What do you...mean?"

"Didn't you...say that you're...the only one...allowed to kill me?" For a moment all that could be heard between them were wheezy breaths, each one slower than the last. Cloud struggled to sit up again, looking at him with an unreadable expression. Leon's eyes drifted over to his bloodied blade. "Well...what are you waiting for...?"

"No..." Cloud whispered. "Not like this."

"Cloud...please..." More silence.

"...On one...condition..."

Leon looked over at him, his dying eyes questioning the other.

"If I stab you...you have to pull this hunk of metal out of me."

"You have a better chance of surviving though...if Vexen helps you."

He looked over to Cloud when he felt a hand slowly take his up towards the hilt of the sword that had pierced the blond. "This will be the first and last time you hear this...so take it to heart." He firmly placed Leon's hand around it, refusing to let it go. "A life without you...wouldn't be a life worth living."

"You have a brother."

"He has Axel." Leon frowned at that. "And if I live, there may be people who believe that he shouldn't be leading. They may ignore the fact that I had been living such a dissolute life." Cloud shook his head. "I don't...want that for him."

"So...you'll throw your life away...for his sake?"

"Would you not do the same for Sora?" the other asked. Leon looked away. "And...I really do mean it when I said that not having you around..."

"Fine." Leon tightened his grip. "You win." Cloud's hand fell away, smiling weakly at him. His hand reached for Leon's blade, positioning it carefully against the sword wound that had already been made in the king's body. Once more, time seemed to stop.

"Are you ready?" Leon asked quietly. Cloud nodded his head slowly, but he felt his hands tremble with nerves. "Cloud...I don't regret anything that happened between me and you. What about you?"

"...I wish things had been different that's for sure...but I don't regret...having met you." With one last smile to each other, their hands moved quickly to their intentions.

* * *

It seemed as if nature had decided to wash away the sins of man when the battle finally died down. But as the rain fell down, Roxas battled with the elements to find some sort of sign of Axel, his brother and the king, a group of soldiers acting as his bodyguards struggling to keep up. And yet nothing seemed to live anymore after all the survivors had crawled to safety or dragged by friends to a place of shelter.

"Axel!" Roxas screamed. "Axel!" He felt a horrible that he was more worried about whether or not Axel was alive or not but...he didn't think he could cope losing him. "AXEL!"

"Must you worry so needlessly?"

Roxas jumped, turning to where the voice had come from. A little further away from him, limping heavily, was Axel. For a moment, the young blond thought he was seeing a ghost. He started running towards him, uncaring if he was seeing a spectre or not, feeling his arms clamp around a firm but blood-stained body. Axel had responded in the same way, confirming that he had truly survived the battle. Roxas didn't care who saw it, but he burst into tears. Axel's hand stroked through his hair. "Don't cry. I'm safe now. It's all over."

The sound of hooves thudding against the muddy ground alerted Roxas to the arrival of another. Axel heaved a sigh. "Zexion, you look happy to see me."

"Have you seen the king?!" Zexion's panicked voice demanded. Roxas felt Axel's hold on him tighten.

"He hasn't been found?"

"We've sent search parties for him and Cloud."

"And Sephiroth?"

"If anyone can find him, dead or alive, they'll get his own weight in gold."

"Sir Axel! Lord Zexion!" Roxas looked over to where the new voice had come from; it was a soldier. Zexion recognized him immediately.

"You were with the prince!"

"We found all three of them."

"All of them? Together?"

"Yes." The soldier looked mournful. "The king...the king is..."

"Show us," Axel butted in, his voice suddenly an angered growl.

* * *

The rain was pouring down heavily when they finally reached the final resting place of the three warriors that had fought within an inch of their lives. It was as feared; the king was dead, as was his concubine, with the corpse of the beheaded enemy lying down a little further away. Sora was weeping over the dead body of his brother, his ever faithful servant and companion hovering over his shoulder in a bid to comfort him. Roxas ran over to the body of his own brother, vainly trying to stir him awake but to no avail. When he realised that there he had lost his only family, he threw himself onto the corpse, crying uncontrollably.

The bodies were soon collected, Sephiroth's body being taken to a place to be unceremoniously burnt by the troops. Cloud and Leon's were taken back into the citadel, the king's corpse treated with much more pomp and ceremony than the concubine. But what signalled the true end to the saga was the mass show of respect and scream of thousands: "Long live the king!"

King Sora's tears did not dry, holding onto Riku's hand tightly the entire time. Roxas, exhausted emotionally, mentally and physically, was carried all the way back home by Axel, acting as the young prince's shield from the rest of the world.


	51. Epilogue

**A/N:** It sort of feels like the end of an era now. I mean, Heart Under Siege is finally finished (thus making it the first M-rated story that I have finished, and the first Kingdom Hearts fanfiction that I have completed (if you don't include oneshots)). I have mixed feelings really. On the one hand, I'm glad its over, because it now means I can go on to concentrate on other material (I mean, I know that I still have to write another chapter for On the Way to a Smile, not to mention continue writing for the new follow-up to this). But on the other, I'm really quite sad to say goodbye to it. For the best part of two years, the HUS universe has been my entire life when I wasn't busy in reality. It's kept me awake at night, it's made me scream in frustration, it's made me proud of who I am. In a sense, it kind of became my baby.

OK, cue procrastination from actually wanting to upload this chapter onto the internet. Let's talk about it! Well, I guess I can let on a few things. Yes, HUS was based upon viking to medieval history, with other cultures thrown into the mix as well, but the initial plan was for the events to act as a basis for a fairytale that would be re-told many years along the line (in fact, HUS actually was going to get a sequel set in the Modern times, but I ended up discarding it because I thought it was becoming way too much like the National Treasure films, Sahara and Fool's Gold). To be exact, HUS was going to be the basis of that universe's version of Beauty and the Beast (Cloud being the Beauty, Leon being the Beast). Of course, the idea fell through, and I'm actually glad that it did fall through. HUS would have been a very different story if it didn't. I also wish I did more for Demyx and Zexion, but maybe they'll get their own tale further down the line. Who knows really?

Then there's the follow-up story to HUS. I'm sure you guys all want to know what it is...but I'll let you find out in this chapter. All I can say is, keep an eye out for the rather cheesily titled Ever After in the next coming days (of which I will be editing the chapters I've done within an inch of their lives). All I can say with that story is...I pray to god that I'm not flaying a dead horse with the idea I used.

OK...um...I know I really shouldn't bore you guys with this author's note. I'd like thank everyone who has read HUS, reviewed it, favourited it or just put it on their story alerts. I would type up the list of names, but I'd be here forever. Seriously...there must be over 500 people who liked this story enough to put it on alert and their favourites if you try not to double count everyone who's done both. 500 people....that seriously is a lot more than I expected at the start. I mean, back when this started, I only really expected maybe 100 at most to read this, so to get this much of a following really is an honour for me. OK...now I must start sounding like I'm accepting an Oscar or an Academy Award now...better get on with the rest.

Thanks to everyone! Please read and enjoy the final chapter of Heart Under Siege, and review please! For they are my Pink Lady Apples! (You didn't expect that one did ya?)

* * *

_**Epilogue**. They used to say that the epilogues of stories and books meant that it was the end, and there was no continuing. I'd guess you would say that four years ago, the epilogue of Leon and Cloud's stories were finally put into action. But I'd like to think that their ending, was only the beginning of another story that was not only theirs, but it belonged to other people, to us, too. If it weren't for them both, the peace that we have managed to achieve has lasted this long between we of Hollow Bastion, of Radiant Garden and of Archadia._

_So yes, I don't think their ending was the final chapter in a story. It might have been the epilogue for them, but I think it was also the prologue to this new world we find ourselves in._

_Thank you, brother. Thank you, Leon. Thank you for fighting for us, and for each other._

* * *

The day seemed oddly cheerful despite the grim atmosphere that had settled upon a group of travellers, the sound of wailing women filling the air. A little bit ahead of them were the nobles and warriors that lead the way to the royal burial site, and between them and the mourners was the cart that carried two wooden boxes, the precious cargo that they protected barely making a sound inside them.

Roxas was sitting with Axel atop Flame, his whole body shaking as he fought back the tears. Axel was sitting behind him, holding the reins tightly in his hands as he urged the horse forward. He wanted to comfort the poor boy, but he knew he couldn't do it in the way he wished to do it while there were so many people about. For now, he just allowed the boy to do what he wished, making sure that their bodies were close to each other. The new young king rode alone, his faithful friend walking alongside him, solemn and silent the entire time. He looked small in the large lion skin that all rulers of Radiant Garden wore, the heavy lion-headed cross pendant swaying lightly with each move Oathkeeper made towards the Royal Tombs, trekking through moorland and rock plains, steep hills and slippery cliffs, until finally, they reached the waterfalls that homed the tombs.

It seemed strange to Sora, who had only been as far as the marker, to see the large stone rolled away as they stepped into the caverns, the sounds of echoing dripping water lost to the sound of wailing. They walked past many small alcoves, each one holding very different stone tombs. Some were large and elaborate, others were small and simple. Some had arms lying atop of them, while others had large stone gargoyles perched to the side, growling nastily at any spirit who dared try to attack or spoil their most precious treasure. Then…they finally passed his parents tomb. Edea had told him that in life, King Laguna was not one for elaborations and yet he was not going to go about dressed as a hermit. So his tomb, which he shared with his wife, was simple at best, and yet small carved columns were made on each corner of the double grave, a small inscription to ward of evil and placate possible vengeful souls etched into the lid of the tomb. He knew that the next alcove they came across…would be the last of his family's.

King Squall of House Leonhart's tomb had been hastily put together. Thoroughly plain, if it had not been for the fact that the dead king was going to be buried in it, some might rudely comment that it was a grand burial for a simple pauper. There was one decoration however, to honour his memory…and that of the young man that was going to be laid to eternal rest next to him. A large, stone statue depicting the legendary demon Fenrir stood before the tomb, looking impressive and regal as it stood watch with cold unblinking eyes. It would always guard the body of the king and the concubine for all eternity.

And now the bodies were laid to rest, Cloud's going into the tomb first, the Leon's being placed with the utmost care. The two younger brothers, standing side by side, could only watch as possessions were placed into the tomb, the young Strife clutching onto a wooden box as if it were the most precious thing in the world to him. Inside this box was the heart of his brother, which would be buried in Hollow Bastion where his body should have been buried. It had been Axel that had told Roxas and Sora what Leon had said in his last days, and it had been him that had requested of them both to at least let them be together in peace where no one could judge them.

"Sora…" Roxas started.

"Mmhm?" Sora hummed questioningly, blankly staring at the lifeless form of Leon, those cold dead hands clutching the hilt of his sword tightly.

"Are we…doing the right thing?"

Sora only nodded, knowing in his heart…this was the right thing to do. The stone lid began to slide into place, the corpses being put into shadow until finally…it was closed for good. Roxas nearly broke down into a fresh batch of tears; Sora remained steely faced, refusing to cry anymore. He had to be strong, for both of their sakes. Zexion stood forward now, lifting a knife to his palm and slitting it. With a bloodied hand, he pressed it against the stone lid, lifting it away to reveal a small stain of his blood. He quickly bandaged the wound he made, taking a huge shuddery breath to calm himself down. His eyes were red and puffy. His example was soon followed by those who had obeyed and respected the old king, marks of blood littering the tomb. Axel had been the last in this show of strength; his hand was trembling the entire time.

"Good bye," Axel murmured quietly, his hand curling up into a fist, refusing to let it be bandaged by anyone. His grief had been great. Maybe far greater than he was willing to let on.

The young leaders left once the priests began to sanctify the tomb, unable to stand much more of the funeral. For Roxas, it was because he didn't want to embarrass himself by weeping like a woman, while for Sora it was because he wanted to weep without having the eyes of many thinking him to be weak.

"I don't think I'm strong enough," Sora whispered as they made their way back to the outside world, away from this dark underworld. "I can't lead a whole kingdom on my own…"

"But you aren't alone Sora," Roxas spoke, looking over to him. "You have Edea, Kiros, Ward, Zexion, the warlords, you have Riku." He then chuckled weakly to himself, looking at the box. "And what do I have? Only a wooden box with what's left of my brother…"

"But you have Axel, and Lexaeus."

"Lexaeus was only acting as my guardian. He was loyal to a fault to your brother. I know that."

"And Axel?"

"He was loyal to your brother too…"

"He's loyal to you," Sora stated firmly. "To a fault I might add. He didn't go running back to Radiant Garden when Leon died. He stayed with you the entire time." Roxas stayed mute. They felt their clothes become slightly damp by the particles of splashing water coming from the waterfall. "How can you say you're alone when he's been by your side." The blond suddenly stopped, eyes wide in wonder. Sora looked at him perplexed. "What?"

"It's…It's…Isn't that…?"

Sora turned his view to where the other was looking…and felt his jaw go slack. Sitting there, completely composed and calm, was a young boy who looked to be a little younger than they. He wore the most elaborate clothing they had ever seen in their life; white puffed and ruffled sleeves, royal blue short-sleeved tunic above it and thigh-high boots over brown trousers. His hair hung under his jaw line, as black as an obsidian jewel. His eyes were dark, accentuating some high intellect that seemed beyond the boy's years. Behind him was a tall man who's identity was hidden by elaborate black silver armour that made him to appear as a demon rather than as a human man. Further back, there were a group of three; two men, one tall and dark, the other slightly shorter but very fair, and a woman that had silver hair, much like the Jenovas who they defeated. Roxas instantly put himself in front of Sora, trying to shield the new king from the group.

"Your highnesses," the boy greeted, standing up and bowing to them. "Please receive my condolences for your losses."

"Wait…you're…Lord Larsa!" Sora exclaimed, it finally dawning on him on why the boy looked so familiar to him.

"I guess it's now Emperor Larsa," Larsa replied solemnly. The two older boys gave him confused looks. Larsa sighed unhappily. "A few days ago, just a week after Sephiroth's defeat by the hand of your brothers, my brother Vayne was assassinated."

"Oh no," Roxas faintly whispered.

"Although I miss him, it probably was for the best," Larsa sighed again. "He was becoming very paranoid. It was a miracle that I managed to escape house arrest at all."

"But what happened to you?" Sora asked.

"The pirate Balthier very kindly helped me and Gabranth escape. He then escorted me to Dalmasca. Queen Ashelia was a very merciful woman and kind host to me. I shan't forget her kindness. So I waited it out for a while, hoping for things to calm down eventually and then I heard news of the outcome of Hollow Bastion. Her Majesty was deeply upset about what had happened, but the way her country was, she felt like she couldn't afford to send help without compromising Dalmasca to an attack from Archadia."

"We don't blame her," Sora nodded. "I understand that Dalmasca is still feeling some repercussions from war and plague."

"Gabranth then hired some mercenaries to accompany us to Radiant Garden after news of Vayne's death came to Dalmasca. He thought it would be best to reveal ourselves to you to apologise deeply for the trouble my family has caused you." Larsa got down on one knee, bowing humbly to Sora and Roxas. "I…truly am apologetic. If I had more weight to my word, I could have done something to stop this madness."

"…don't apologise," Roxas grumbled, turning away, holding the box even more tightly than ever. "Your apologies won't bring my brother back. But…maybe…we have enough power to stop war altogether."

"That's right!" Sora quipped. "If we agree now that we are no longer enemies, but friends, then no one will have to suffer so needlessly! Right?"

"I don't think it will be that easy," Larsa responded. "It's as they say in Archadia; where there is light, there will always be shadow. But maybe, we can lessen them. It might not be a world peace, but it might be enough." He lifted his hand up. "We can make it official at a later date, but I propose, for the good of Archadia, and for the good of the other kingdoms that we share this land with, a peace treaty between you of the Radiant Garden Empire and the Principality of Hollow Bastion, ad we of the Archadian Empire." He then smiled. "A truce?"

Sora's response was immediate. "A truce."

Roxas was more hesitant, looking at the box for a moment to inspire the courage he needed for such an important decision, swallowing his pride. He took Larsa's hand carefully. "A truce."

Days later, news of Vayne's demise and Larsa's coming out of hiding reached all the kingdoms. The killer remained a mystery though there were rumours of the deceased Emperor being murdered by a man clothed entirely in oriental red, with a limp arm and a scarred wizened face. A month later, Emperor Larsa Ferrinas of House Solidor signed a peace treaty with King Sora Apollo Andros of House Leonhart and Prince Roxas Lumen of House Strife.

* * *

Four years had passed since that battle at Hollow Bastion. In the years between, a shaky peace had been established between all the countries and strengthened. Sora had put all the credit on Riku for Radiant Garden's part; his ever faithful and dutiful servant, now training to become head of the household, and helped him and Zexion in the peace processes, offering his suggestions and opinions whenever he was asked. Zexion had once admitted that if they hadn't captured Riku, the seemingly sole survivor of House Jenova would have made a fearsome politician. Roxas on the hand had become an exceptionally accomplished leader once he finally came out of mourning, refusing to allow the past to make him weak. He ruled firmly but fairly, always careful not to make the same mistakes as his father. With Axel by his side encouraging him, Roxas' confidence in himself only grew. It was remarkable how much both boys had changed.

Roxas was now twenty years of age. Although he continued his training and actively sparred with his faithful knight, friend and secret lover, he was still quite small compared to the lanky, bony redhead. He was slender, slightly tanned from outdoor activities and he had allowed his hair to grow a little longer past his jaw line, though it still managed to defy gravity with its gentle waves. In the four years, he married Naminé on the advice of Zexion (though Roxas agreed to it as a slight comeback at Axel for marrying Larxene; needless to say, Axel was not amused but didn't complain). Axel hadn't changed much; he was still very much the same person, only he was older and wiser and knew to restrain himself now. That, and Axel had become to a father to a son that Roxas had found himself playing uncle to.

"Wosas!!" Roxas stopped speaking to the advisor that had been trying to tell him something about a problem at one of the farms the principality owned, smiling fondly at the small, slightly chubby four-year old that came dashing over to him, a exhausted nurse trying to keep up with the small redhead. Truly, like father like son.

"Hello Lea," Roxas greeted, bending down when the small boy skidded to a halt. "Terrorising the castle again, hmm?"

"Nursie won't let me go wiv you an' Papa," the boy pouted.

"So you decided to punish her by running away?" Roxas laughed, patting the boy on the head. "You know that you're just a bit too young to ride a horse."

"So?" Lea grumbled, crossing his arms huffily. Although Lea was much like his father, he did have a temper like his mother Larxene.

"How about you go and play with your aunt," Roxas suggested with a smile. "She might be able to get a little treat for you if you're good for her."

"But I wanna go wiv you an' Papa!" Lea scowled, though it soon changed into a yelp when he was suddenly lifted up into the air. Roxas stood up, smiling at the man that had now the small boy sitting upon his hip. Axel shook his head at his small son.

"Pestering the prince again I see," Axel chuckled, ruffling his son's red hair. Lea only pouted angrily.

"S'not fair! You an' Wosas are gonna go haf fun wivout me!"

"Now what makes you say that?" Roxas asked, ignoring the cringing by both the advisor and the nurse maid with them. Roxas had encouraged Lea to call him by his name rather than by his title while he was just a small child, knowing that eventually, when the boy got older, he would conform to the rest of the court on his own time. Living like this though gave him a sense of kinship with Axel's family.

"Becuz when you go ridin', you always haf fun!" Roxas and Axel shared a look, knowing all too well why Lea might have thought that. They did have fun…just maybe not in the same innocent way that Lea thought they were having fun.

"How about I take you hunting with us next time?" Axel offered. "It's just that we have times where we want to have some fun together on our own without anyone else."

"Being alone doesn't sound like much fun," Lea sulked. That's when Roxas leant in and whispered something into the small boy's ear, chuckling at the sudden brightness appearing in the youngster's smile. "You promise?!"

"You have my word as the prince," Roxas chuckled. "Now why don't you go bother Aunt Namine for something from the kitchens. Tell her Roxas sent you." He winked slyly at the child, who wriggled out of his father hold and began rushing off to wherever the Princess was now. The nurse maid ran after him, bowing quickly to the Prince and his knight. Axel looked down to Roxas.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Roxas asked. He dismissed the advisor who had been trying to grab his attention with a very pointed, "Not now."

"Appease that little monkey. I could offer him to teach him how to wield a great sword and he still wouldn't budge."

"Can you blame him for wanting to spend as much time with you as possible?" Roxas asked. "You aren't in Aurelias for most of the year." He looked over to the redhead. "I feel guilty for monopolizing your time."

"Don't," Axel smiled, letting the back of his hand brush against Roxas' knuckles. "It was my choice to honour my vow to you in this way and leave Luxord and Larxene to run Aurelias."

"It must have been hard for you to let Larxene have some sort of power over Aurelias when Kairi married Sora," Roxas murmured. "I know she can be…well…"

"Strong-willed and stubborn. Yeah. But so am I. Why else do you think Lea's so stubborn?"

"He must get his ability to be placated by someone like me from you then," Roxas teased.

"Hmm, maybe. But…"

"But?" Roxas nearly yelped in a high pitch voice when he felt Axel's hand take his tightly. "Axel!" he hissed, "Someone might see us!"

"Relax," Axel chuckled. "I'm not going to do anything untoward for you."

"That does not exactly inspire much confidence in me…"

"Have a little more faith, your highness!" Axel laughed, letting go of his hand though his touch still lingered. "A ride in the forest then?"

"Yes," Roxas smiled. They both knew that what might appear as a simple ride on horseback between two friends to the rest of the world, to them this time was sacred as it was the only time that they could be who they really were to each other. Lovers.

* * *

In Borealis castle, a far different scene was playing out. Riku felt like things had changed immensely in the four years after they had lost the old king and Cloud. He had changed physically; although he had always been quite slight in musculature, he felt like he might have possibly put on "a bit more meat" as Tifa had put it. Only slightly though, as he figured that he had gained probably more strength in his legs than anywhere else in his frame. His hair had grown much longer too, more to the length of Yazoo's though he tied his hair back with a slim piece of leather -coloured blue- that Sora had bought for him in one of his impulsive gift buying. He had grown taller -two more inches he was proud to say- but he had reached the end of his growth spurt. He wouldn't have minded these changes, had it not been for the fact that his physical changes paled in comparison to the ones Sora had gone through.

In all his twenty-one years of life, Riku never thought he would be nearly winded by a large frame tackling him against the new king's desk. A familiar voice that had deepened in four years hollered into his ear, "Ri_ku_!"

"My liege, that is not exactly a safe greeting to make to anyone!" Riku scolded, still not believing that this was the same sickly and frail boy he had met five years ago.

Sora, now age twenty, had changed so much. He was bronzed over from the sun by his insistence at being on top of his now impeccable sword fighting skills, and his consistent need to exercise rather than work. He was taller, about two inches taller than Riku now, and because of his constant exercising he was even more strongly built and broader than ever -so much so that Riku, rather embarrassingly for him, got carried over to bed one time like some sort of bride when Sora was feeling especially…affectionate. Needless to say, after that event, Riku felt like his pride as a man had been severely wounded. And although Sora had changed so much, there were something's that were still the same. His personality was still very much intact, being as exuberant and daft as ever (even though Sora did have his moments of total maturity), and his opinions on work were still "why bother? Let's go do something more interesting!"

In other words, Sora was still the cause of the majority of Riku's and Zexion's headaches. It seemed that only Sora's new wife, Kairi, could keep up with him.

Sora pouted lightly. "But Ri_ku_, I worked extra hard just to come back early!" It was true; Sora had been in Lindblum dealing with new trade routes between the Empire, Lindblum and the newly discovered land of Spira. He should have been there for two weeks with Zexion, but Sora was a week early.

"And I suppose you expect some sort of reward from me, hmm?" Riku asked.

"Yes!" Sora exclaimed, nuzzling the silver-haired servant's neck lightly. Riku pulled away slightly.

"Wait just one second, my liege," Riku started, "before you even _think_ about trying to get a reward out of me, why don't you tell me where Zexion is and what the result of your hard work was?" He crossed his arms. "If I find out you've left the bulk of the work to Zexion, don't expect anything from me for a month."

"You're so cold," Sora whined, trying to look adorably puppy-like. Unfortunately, Sora as a healthy man couldn't quite pull the heartbreaking look that he was able to create when he was just a child. That, and Riku had built up an immunity to it. One withering look from the servant was enough to make the king behave. "Zexion's staying in Lindblum for a while longer. We've established that we give the Spirans wool, some weaponry and leather to them in exchange for medicinal herbs, spices and this odd coloured dye…"

"Coloured dye? For clothing?"

Sora nodded. "It's an odd colour. It's sort of like…well, you know the colour roses are?"

"Pink?"

"Yeah. Only a lot more…brighter and…well, they call it a 'hot' colour."

"My…why is it that I suspect that it will be a colour very popular with the ladies of the court?"

"Probably because it will be," Sora shrugged. "Now…about that reward…"

"Go see your wife first," Riku droned.

"Hey! That's not cherishing!"

"Who said I should be the one cherishing?" Riku asked, unable to help but smirk at the look of sheer indignant offence on Sora's face.

"Because you said that you-!" Sora never finished his sentence, because Riku very quickly placed a chaste kiss on the king's lips, a small quirk on his lips as he saw the surprised expression on the other's face. He pulled away, licking his lips.

"Welcome home, Sora," Riku said softly, smiling ever so subtly. If it had not been for the sudden entrance of advisors, Riku knew that Sora would have him in a flash. While the advisors were too busy speaking to each other, Sora quickly grabbed Riku's arm and pulled him close, whispering into his ear: "The usual place. Tonight. Please…"

"Of course," Riku smiled. "I shall be waiting, my liege."

* * *

Bliss. That could just about sum up how he felt right about now in this lazy heat. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the wind gently caressed his skin as it blew through the window, and the sound of a heartbeat against his ear sound so comforting to him after a night of such dissolute yet delicious pleasure. He looked up slightly, seeing that his honey-blond bard was sleeping soundly still, unfazed by the rest of Lindblum waking up. Zexion couldn't help but smile, leaning up and kissing Demyx gently on the lips. Although he had been heartbroken when Leon died, Demyx had immediately rushed to Radiant Garden when news of the old king's death spread across the land, staying with Zexion until the advisor found the strength to move on many months later. Demyx even put off going back to Bhujerba to just be with the petit advisor, something that Zexion had come to know for Demyx to never delay returning to his exotic home. He truly was grateful for the sacrifices Demyx had made…for his sake.

And here they were now four years on. With Riku starting to handle nearly all of Sora's paperwork these days, Zexion found himself coming to Lindblum whenever Demyx was around. And because he saw more of Demyx, he actually opened up more and even started acting very unlike himself around the bard. He had to say, there seemed to be less insults from Zexion these days. Though he still called Demyx a spoony bard occasionally.

"Are you awake, Zexion?" Demyx murmured sleepily.

"Hmm, yes," the advisor nodded. "Don't let me wake you."

Demyx sat up, wrapping an arm around the smaller man and lifting him up with him, shaking away the grogginess out of his eyes. "We need to do this more often," he yawned, bringing Zexion into his body in a search for warmth. Although it was uncomfortable at first, Zexion was growing accustomed to the cuddling.

"It all depends on how much you travel during the year," Zexion sighed. Demyx could only nod, very subtly tightening his hold.

"…I thought about staying in one place for a year or so. You know, give it a go," Demyx murmured. Zexion looked at him with a strange look. "Hey, I have to try it out before I make a decision. I might like staying in one place."

"You're not doing it because of me, are you?"

"Well, you're one of the pros of staying in Radiant Garden for a year."

"And the others?"

"Don't have to worry about where the next meal is going to come from or where I need to sleep for the night," Demyx replied honestly. "But you're the most important reason to me."

Although a part of Zexion was happy that Demyx was willing to put his wandering on hold just to see what it would be like to live in one place for a year, the other part of Zexion didn't want to be the reason that Demyx had stopped seeing the world. So he took that one brave step that he was too afraid to make whenever he felt like Demyx was drifting away from him again. "I…I thought about leaving Radiant Garden for a while."

"What?" It was Demyx's turn to look surprised.

"Well, I've only really been within the perimeters of the Empire so I feel like there is so much more that I have yet to see…so I thought, maybe if I could get permission from the king, I could leave his service for a while and travel the world…with you…" Zexion nearly yelped when Demyx suddenly brought him into a huge bear hug. "Demyx?"

"Is that what you really want? To come with me?"

"Yeah…it is."

"It might be difficult."

"I know."

"You might get sick of me sometimes."

"I know."

"There may be times when you get homesick."

"I know."

"And there will be places that won't be so accepting of our relationship like the Lindblumians."

"I know. And I don't care." Zexion could only chuckle dryly to himself. "Listen to us…anyone would think that we were eloping."

"Zexion," Demyx whispered, "we sort of are." He the pressed his lips against the advisor's before the smaller man had a chance to protest, his hand cupping the other's cheek while his hand sunk to rest upon the small of his back. Zexion, still tender, could only surrender.

He thought he could hold out, that he could make the bard bend to his will. But he realised that Demyx had had the upper hand in their relationship the entire time that they had known each other; and he didn't mind at all. Finally relinquishing his last bit of pride once he was released from the bard's kiss, Zexion whispered quietly that phrase that Demyx had told him every day through words from his mouth and on paper. "_Tvaam kaamayaami_…"

For Demyx, that was far more precious than any treasure he could be given. "_Madarthe api_."

_

* * *

_

Year 3500

Maybe he had been hallucinating, but there was something strangely familiar about his new SOLDIER partner. He put it down to maybe it being due to just how he seemed similar in colouring to his old partner Seifer, but the brunet knew that there were enough differences between a heavily trained Crusader model and a prototype model called Fenrir for both to be completely different people. That and their personalities were total worlds apart; the Crusader had been loud, proud and arrogant to the point of annoyance, but the Fenrir was quietly confident yet genuinely modest. That, and the Fenrir was like a child when ever he saw something new in this new world that lacked steel walls and tools of science that he found himself in. Seifer had been the type to shoot first, ask questions much, _much_later.

So what was it that seemed so nostalgic whenever he was around the spiky-blond haired SOLDIER? He thought it was because maybe the Fenrir had acted in a similar way to Seifer when they were alone together in the brunet's two-person apartment but he had no recollection of the Crusader ever being as close or as -he guessed- devoted as the Fenrir was. He certainly had no memory of Seifer ever trying to sneak into bed with him, or of ever waking up with the scarred blond curled up next to him. And he definitely had no memory of having to kick the Crusader out of bed every _single __**time **_if he did do that.

He couldn't put his finger on it. He really, honest-to-Hyne couldn't.

"Leon, what's wrong?" The brunet looked down, looking into the Mako-infused eyes of the Fenrir model. Once again, the SOLDIER had somehow managed to get his head onto the brunet's lap while Leon was too engrossed in his own thoughts.

"Nothing. And why have you got _your_ head in _my_ lap again Cloud?"

"Because the TV is boring," Cloud answered with total bluntness, blinking slightly.

"And you think I'm more interesting?"

"Yes."

"Off."

"No."

Leon sighed, not willing to get into another pointless argument with the SOLDIER. "You can be so impossible sometimes…"

"Not like you complain about it a lot," Cloud answered back. "Actually, you hardly complain at all when we-"

"You even _**dare**_ try and finish that sentence, I will send you back to Hojo faster than you can count to ten."

The blond jumped off the couch at that, suddenly on his knees and burying his head into the brunet's knees, looking at him pitifully. "Don't send me back…please…" And once again, Leon had been defeated. Well, not that he ever planned on sending Cloud back to the labs anyway…

"Stop grovelling for my approval," Leon muttered, petting the blond's spiky hair. "I'm not your master."

"Then does that mean…?" The Fenrir model suddenly perked up. Leon just nodded his head.

"No funny business this time though. I swear if you put your hand down my trousers again…"

"Not in heat. I swear!" Leon chuckled a bit at the SOLDIER's eagerness. Not in heat, he said. Yeah right. He'll only believe that until Cloud actually shoved him away when _he_ wanted to be a bit more affectionate (and even that was unlikely). Cloud slowly inched his way up, his hands very carefully resting on top of Leon's thighs. The brunet just looked at the SOLDIER, neither pushing him away or encouraging him to come closer; he knew that Cloud didn't need any encouragement on his part if he wanted something from him. "Leon," Cloud whispered. "Can I really…?"

"You're only kissing me. Nothing more than that."

"Understood." Cloud leaned up a bit more, letting his hands slide to the other's hips. Leon sighed. Yeah, now that was more than familiar. The familiarity, the strange sense of nostalgia, came over him when he felt the other's lips over his.

This was not the first time they kissed, but it was not the one that told him that they were more than just a SOLDIER and the SeeD commando that Cloud was partnered up with. He just wasn't sure how he could describe their relationship at all. Either way, he wouldn't deny that he felt a small buzz of bliss when they did this now that the initial wariness and disbelief had worn off. That taste though…that bittersweet sensation…where had he tasted it before?

He jolted when he felt Cloud's hand slide up his back under his shirt. He pulled away swiftly, yelling, "Dammit Cloud! That's far enough!"

"You're such a prude," Cloud muttered.

"I'm not going to ask where you learnt that. And I'm not a prude." He suddenly pushed the SOLDIER off him, feeling satisfaction at hearing the blond collide with the floor. "I have a SOLDIER that has the libido of a Mako-induced horny dog." Seriously, he knew there were a lot of people who had relationships with SOLDIERs, but Cloud really took the prize for biggest sex drive in and out of his canine heats. He even rivalled Axel, possibly the most notorious playboy in Radiant Garden's capitol city's SeeD base. The main difference was that Cloud seemed incredibly hung up over Leon while Axel had a different skirt to chase every week.

He looked down, shaking his head when he saw the patented 'kicked dog' look on Cloud's face. "Fine, fine. Come here." The blond perked up again, clambering up onto the sofa again and letting his body rest against Leon's. It was a solemn, silent agreement between them both that Cloud wouldn't try his luck and Leon wouldn't lose his cool when the blond did touch him in an appropriate fashion.

Leon finally put the familiarity down to maybe they were just complimentary to each other personality-wise. Because for all Cloud's advances, and for all his resistance to them, Leon had never felt uncomfortable around the other. Not that he would ever tell the blond that. "Training tomorrow," Leon muttered, absently watching some mindless idiocy on the TV. "Promise you'll go easy on the cadets."

"I will."


End file.
